Duo Awakenings
by dennisud
Summary: Survival comes at a price in the conclusion to this story. Final Chapter! Actually I added a second ending because I have another sequel that I'm going to write later. So let me know with your reviews and comments. 1st sequel coming this summer! EvaVoyage
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimers:**

Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc., are property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. This is a 'what if' story, so take it as a divergence from the EoE Movie. So, it's an A/U story as well. 

**Duo Awakenings**

**Chapter 1: Who Returns**   
  


This story is wholly in the third person, unless indicated. 

Two figures lay motionless on a deserted beach near the remains of Tokyo-3, once the fortress of mankind… The first figure, a teenage boy awoke and after a few shakes of his head, focused on his surroundings. He then appeared to focus on his red suited companion. He whirled around, straddled the second figure now recognizable as a female, and put his hands around her neck as he proceeded to strangle her. This goes on for only a moment until the female moves her hand to gently stroke the male's cheek, he then cries out and collapses on her. She mumbles something and turns to her side where she is observed throwing up. Recovering she stares rather lifelessly at her companion who is still crying and still partially laying on her. Again she caresses his cheek and smiles with newfound strength, while trying to hug him with her one good arm, as the other is bandaged and laying on her side. 

Within a few more minutes the boy calms down and slowly looks up at his companions' face. "Asuka…I thought you were one of Lillith's illusions. I thought you weren't real! So, I reacted and…" 

"Shhhh, Shinji. I was there too. Remember? We were all joined together and saw what you had to go through…and what you decided," the girl said, keeping her arm around the whimpering boy. 

"But…but! I tried to kill-" 

"But, you didn't." She looked at him knowingly, "You realized that I was real, my Shinji baka, so for once it wasn't your fault." The girl then smiled at him, which finally stopped the boy's crying, He then let his head hang. She took her arm from around him and raised his head as she put her hand below his chin. "Now baka, can you help me up so we can find some food, clothes and shelter? Or am I going to have to get rough on you!" She said it with a smirky smile. He seemed to sigh with relief and smiled as he then moved to help her stand up. 

Taking a moment, they observed they're surroundings. Around the city were the broken husks of what was once the Mass-Production Evangelion Series. Both gasped, as they were now nothing more than grotesque memorials to their mad creator's failed dream of oneness. They shivered as they looked at the things that they both now hated more than anything. They both seemed to be reliving their past memories and grimacing all the more, before he started to move away while taking a hold of her by the waist, moving her as well. 

She seemed reluctant to have him hold her at first. But after some unsteady steps, she grabbed him, and with his help, they made their way off the beach and towards the remains of the city. 

**A day later**

Two more figures appear in approximately the same spots as those who were there the day before. The differences though were apparent. The first of the two figures, who awoke threw up almost immediately and then fell on its back, right next to the second figure. The first was now seen as a male in a tan uniform with red and black trim. 

His unconscious companion, who now stirred with the first figures contact, then sat up, covered her mouth with her hand, then turned the opposite direction, and threw up the contents of her stomach. They turned to each other, and both immediately seemed to recognize each other. They hugged in an apparent gesture of comfort and relief. 

"Shigeru?! Oh, thank god you're here. I thought I'd be alone coming back, since Sempai…" She cried out, then broke down weeping. He looked down, and soothed the crying female in his arms trying to calm her down by rubbing her back and saying calming words to her. She seemed to be wearing the same tan uniform as the male. Though while he had long hair, she didn't. 

"There, there Maya, I'm here. I wasn't going to let you come back alone." He rubbed the tears from her eyes as he looked into them. He continued to talk, "So at Dr. Akagi's request, I came back to help you." 

She then grabbed his hands and said rather loudly. "Sempai asked you to help me?" He started nodding his head in the affirmative. She then looked back up from her position on his chest. "Do you know why she didn't come with me?" 

He sighed and began his answer. "She told me that she didn't deserve to come back. She felt especially responsible for what happened and preferred to live in limbo as punishment rather than be allowed to return to the real world." he held her from her shoulders looking straight into her eyes." She also said that she wanted you to have a normal life." 

She shook her head negatively, "But why couldn't she tell me this when I was with her. Why couldn't she tell me that then?" said the despondent, crying female. Her actions were a reminder of the day before, except it was the boy who was crying from his apparent feelings of guilt and anger. 

The male then gathered the crying woman in his arms again, trying to soothe her. "I can only tell you that I am your friend Maya, and I chose to comeback for you, and for your Sempai's request. Now are you strong enough to stand and come with me, or are you going to sulk here on the beach?" He looked at her trying to gage how she would respond to his last question. 

His answer was a solid slap on his cheek by his now angry female companion. "How dare you tell me that! And how do I know you're not lying to me. For All I know you..." She then focused on his face and knew he wasn't lying. He had never lied to her ever. His sad and hurt face now with a growing hand shaped welt on his right cheek told her just how wrong she was. She then hugged him, crying again. "Oh Shigeru, I'm sorry. I just . . . can't bare to know she's not coming back." 

It seemed that he sensed her sincerity, and hugged her back. Then, he held her away from him, and turned her towards the footprints he had discovered while they had talked before. "It seems that someone got here ahead of us." 

She turned and stared at the footprints, scrutinizing them. "They seem to be a bit small, aren't they?" 

"Yeah, like they're kid sized footprints." They both nodded unconsciously. "Well, we'd better follow them, just in case they are kids. They may need some help." He then started towards the direction where the footprints led. 

"And what help can two ex-NERV Techs be?" She said with a smirk. 

"Haven't you completed the survival course required by all NERV personnel?" He asked. 

"Yes, but it's been awhile." She said looking concerned. 

"Well, I had mine only last month, so just follow my lead and we'll be ok." 

"OK, as long as I don't have to skin a rat." They both laughed and followed the two sets of footprints. Not knowing whom they would lead to, but comforted that they weren't alone in this barren world they had come back to. 

**Chapter 2: A New Goal, Survival**

As the four survivors meet and make plans, they start to interact with each other. This leads to serious discussions, not the least of which is, where do they go from here.   
  


Author's notes: With the help of Datexan, I've revised and cleaned up this chapter and will add another very soon! dennisud 


	2. A New Goal, Survival

****

Disclaimers:

Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc. are Property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. This is a "what if" story, so take it as a divergence from the EoE Movie. So, it is an A/U story as well.

****

Duo Awakenings

Chapter 2: A New Goal, Survival

As the four survivors meet and make plans, they start to interact with each other. This leads to serious discussions, not the least of which is, where do they go from here. Now, on to the story.

****

A meeting to remember

There are many words that can describe Asuka Langley Soryu. Quiet wasn't one of them. "How can this happen! Of all the dimbulbs for me to end up with, I had to get YOU! "It was the first time she was really mad at Shinji since they're rebirth, and it was evident that it wouldn't be the last.

Maya and Shigeru knew they found who had left the footprints leading off of the beach, two very familiar children to them to be exact. 

"I, ... I'm sorry Asuka. This is all I could find and not leave you alone for long."

"That would be Mr. Shinji Ikari former Third Child," said a smirking Shigeru Aoba.

"And the second voice can be none other than the one belonging to Asuka Langley Soryu," Added a smiling Maya Ibuki, shaking her head

Both children looked back at them with stunned expressions as they heard both adults' comments. Then all hell broke loose as both of them started asking questions of the two adults a mile a minute.

"Ok, ok! Just wait a minute will you!" Maya took a breath and then recounted their rebirth from the LCL just an hour before.

"Well, we woke up in the Devil's vacationland here yesterday." Asuka then gestured from her seated position, to show their current surroundings.

"Since we're here, I guess Shinji and I will survey the area while Maya takes care of your wounds Asuka." Shigeru then turned to Shinji. "We'll need to look for food, clothing for all of us, and some shelter from the elements so follow me and keep your eyes open." Shinji just nodded in agreement.

"Hey, who died and made you boss?" Asuka had a perturbed look on her face, her one good arm on her hip in defiance. 

What happened next can only be clarified by saying that Shigeru isn't Shinji.

He walked slowly and deliberately towards the red headed former pilot. He looked down on her defiant glare and stated in an authoritative tone. "Let me make this perfectly clear Miss Soryu, as I am ranked above you and Shinji per UN regulations, and with permission of my superior Lt. Maya Ibuki here, you will do what I say so we all can survive this situation. Is that perfectly clear Miss Soryu!" Asuka was steaming, but bit her now quivering lip straining to keep her temper while glaring at the man before her. Then she and slightly nodded a yes. 

"IS THAT CLEAR!" Shigeru yelled and now a foot from Asuka's face.

"YES SIR!" She said though the anger was painfully evident.

"Good, It's so nice we got that cleared up, now Shinji" 

"Yes Sir!" Shinji was standing straight and shaking a bit in his shoes. Shigeru rolled his eyes, shook his head, and then simply motioned Shinji to follow him as they left the girls in the simple encampment the children had put together the day before.

After they left Asuka turns to Maya and spouts out, "Who the hell does he think he is!" 

Maya gave a stern look to the girl who got quiet very quickly. "He's taken survival training and knows what he's doing, so that is why I gave him authority to take charge." Asuka lost some of her fire, but still she questioned her.

"But, Shinji and I have had survival training as well, he could at least have asked us before he gave us the Gendo wanna-be routine." Asuka said grumbling.

Maya laughed at Asuka's comments. She could just picture the longhaired tech behind that big foreboding desk in the Commander's office, with his customary stare behind his entwined hands. She smiled with some mirth. She then looked at the younger woman. " I'll make sure he knows that." She took a moment before continuing. "It's just that he wants to do what's best for us. Just look around Asuka, there's no vegetation, no safe shelter at least from where we can see here. And with the buildings so unstable as well as all the rubble and devastation here, we'll be lucky to survive."

Asuka shrugged her shoulders, knowing the older woman was right. "Hmm, Ok, I agree with you on that Ouch! Hey watch what you're doing there!" Maya had been treating Asuka's wounds while they talked.

"It's just some gauze sticking to your skin. Now let me see how deep that wound is." Maya then looked at Asuka's arm and gasped. There was a long singular deep wound running up the center of her arm. Though, it was healing, there were signs that the former second child may not have full use of her arm for the rest of her life. Many of the important tendons that allow the arm to lift objects looked like they were severed. Maya then made her move her arm in various positions to evaluate just how much movement and strength the arm could take. 

"Maya, hey Maya. What's the matter?" Asuka looked nervously at the older woman's clear reaction. 

"Asuka, I don't know how to tell you this but" Her voice became a whisper as the weight of the realization set into the two women. Nothing would be the same for both, especially the spiritually broken former pilot of Eva unit 02.

A minute later and a half-mile down from where they had left the girls, a loud wail was heard by the two whom had left a few minutes before. They both turned and rushed back to the encampment. It took another hour until the two left again, but now with a much more somber mood.

"Asuka, she's not going to get better is she?" A disheartened Shinji asked. 

Shigeru simply put his hand on the younger man's shoulder squeezing slightly. "No." He then turned to look at the disheartened boy, "You'll need to be there for her Shinji, even if she tells you to you face to leave her alone, you'll have to stay and take it." He stopped and put his remaining hand on Shinji's other shoulder, now facing him. "She won't have full use of that arm anymore, so many things that we take for granted, she'll have to learn another way to do. And she'll need a friend close by, not just only for physical support, but emotional support as well."

"Bu-but I'm not sure I can" Shigeru cut Shinji off.

"I'll be doing the same thing Shinji." Then as they continued their walk he told Shinji of his mission that Ritsuko asked him to complete.

"So, so you're going to be there for Maya, even though you don't have any feelings for." Shinji was sometimes a bit dense, but he saw in Shigeru's eyes that he actually did have feelings for Maya. Shinji unconsciously nodded his head. "It wasn't just for Ritsuko that you did this for, was it?"

The older man looked at him with concern. "I need you not to tell her Shinji, don't even tell Asuka, please." The once powerful and confidant NERV officer now showed his true feelings to a boy who knew too well what the man was going through. 

"I won't tell anyone, aand I'll be there for Asuka as well, if you can do the same for Maya." The man smiled and shook Shinji's hand in agreement. They then continued to the ruins of Tokyo-3 to find the essentials of survival with a new resolve in both their minds. The idea that they had someone to protect, and to care for, made them push on. It took most of the day so they returned to the woman around sunset.

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Shelter, Food and a good talk

After they returned, it took Shigeru and Shinji another hour to move Asuka and Maya to they're newly found shelter, at the bottom of a staircase of what was once a three-story office building. They had found some futons and pillows and had made two makeshift beds. They then moved all the supplies they found into that same area as well. Most of it was bottled water from dispensing machines they broke open, and some canned food they found at a nearby semi-collapsed grocery store.

Asuka was carried on Shigeru's back this time. He didn't want to chance her falling if Shinji had carried her again as he had stumbled the day before, when they left the beach. Maya and Shigeru saw the hurt look on Shinji's face and Maya quietly agreed to talk to Asuka privately about her comments, and her attitude towards the despondent boy. Both of which had gotten worse since she found out about the severity of her arm injury, which possibly hastened her apparent retaliations at her friend, and her subsequent depression shown now in her unusual silence and emotionless look on her face.

As the four made it to their new shelter, the night started to get cold. Shinji and Asuka had to huddle together the night before to simply keep warm. Shigeru had remembered them mentioning this, and had several blankets for each of them this time. So after they had a dinner of cooked canned meat and vegetables, the settled down to sleep. 

Each had a blanket to keep the cold out. But it was colder than the night before, so the four who started out on the two futons, men on one and women on the other, and each with a single blanket, each still grew to shiver within minutes. Finally Shigeru got up, moved and quietly snuggled next to Maya who looked up to him with a surprised and nervous look. "I'm only doing this to keep from freezing to death, OK." 

She slightly nodded and he wrapped his blanket around her, while she still had her own blanket still tightly wrapped around her. "It's Ok, I understand, and thanks Shigeru, I was freezing too." She smiled and snuggled into Shigeru's chest and shut her eyes trying to get to sleep. The warmth of their bodies seemed to increase the warmth she was feeling for the tall, longhaired man. Her smile seemed to increase in size, and intent.

Within a few minutes Maya Ibuki was sleeping soundly as Shigeru Aoba held her close, smiling contently at the woman he was slowly falling in love with. Thanks Ritsu, I owe you one!' He thought to himself and to whom he hoped had heard him. He gathered the sleeping woman closer, in his arms as he himself fell into a contented sleep.

Meanwhile, on the other futon;

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Confessions and forgiveness

When Shigeru moved to Maya's side, which left Shinji alone, on a single futon, while Asuka was now laying right next to the two cuddling adults. After she heard what Shigeru had said to Maya, she scooted to the edge of the futon. "Don't get any ideas pervert, I just don't want to be next to those two lovebirds." Asuka then tried to get to sleep. But that was not to be, as she shivered more than the night before. Shinji was already getting to sleep on his end of the futon. 

Then without warning Shinji felt a weight next to, and behind him, wiggling under his blanket. Before he could say anything Asuka said in a clear voice, yet quietly enough not to wake the two next to them, causing Shinji to simply freeze in place. "I'm cold, shivering, and miserable, I just want to be warm and go to sleep." After the shock wore off, Shinji turned his head towards her, and was about to reply when Asuka put a single finger on his quivering cold lips. "Before you say anything Shinji, just please shut up and keep me warm." She smiled slightly, enough for the nervous boy to understand. Then, Shinji remembered what Shigeru had said before, and after situating themselves, with Asuka behind him in a spooning position, he wrapped his blanket around the young shivering girl, and snuggled quietly, slowly getting warm, and slowly falling asleep.

But a few minutes later; "Shinji, you still awake?" Asuka asked in a whisper, while her face was still snuggled to the boy's back. 

"Mmm, yeah, what do you want Asuka?" The semi-sleepy boy responded.

"Well, uh I just wanted to say Thanks, ok." She bit her lip, as she had to swallow her pride to say her thanks.

He smiled, knowing it was hard for his friend to acknowledge this, and becoming proud of her effort for change. "It's not a problem Asuka, we're friends, right."

"Yeah, I guess." The girl was saying that with less enthusiasm than he would have liked, which did deflate him a bit.

He sighed. "It's ok I can understand you don't think much of me. So, let's just get some sleep," was Shinji's weak reply. Asuka then replied in her own way. 

"No, it's not OK She turned him around to face herself. "You need to say what you mean. Oh, that's what gets me so mad at you all the time. You don't stick up for yourself" She sighed then looked at the hurt look on his now despondent face. She took his face in her hands causing him to turn half way towards her. Then smiled and said, "Well starting tomorrow I will make it my job to get you a spine whether it be the easy way, or the hard way." He swallowed audibly, then she then gave the boy a sharp hug, more to make her point of him gaining a spine.

"Ok, ok I'll do what you ask, Asuka, just stop squeezing me so hard!" his twisted back was now hurting him terribly under the onslaught of Asuka's hug. 

"See, your doing it again, you need to think for yours" 

Shinji then gave a hard squeeze to the mouthy German girl, quickly silencing her. "Now, let's get to sleep, OK!" Shinji said eye to eye to his red headed friend oh now faced each other.

"Ok, ok, I'll give for now. But don't think to make this a habit, Third Child." She smiled at him and bopped him playfully. While Shinji started growing annoyed at her antics.

He then sternly looked at her. "If you don't stop talking you'll find yourself in the cold, alone. Now go to sleep." After Shinji said that, Asuka shut her mouth. She set her head on his chest, though some grumbling was heard. "I said quiet." Shinji then lifted his blanket letting in the cold air, which hit the warming body of the former second child.

"OK, ok, I'll shut up." She then snuggled close to the boy's chest, without a sound heard except for their steady breathing. In the dark Shinji was smiling knowing he had gotten Asuka to shut up, and not get hit in the process. Asuka was smiling, at the warmth she now had, not just physically, but in her heart as she was now realizing her feelings for her erstwhile teammate. She was also grudgingly happy at Shinji finally showing some spine. Though, she was slightly upset that it was at her expense. But she kept smiling. She had gotten a glimpse of the Shinji who she admired, the one who fought beside her against the seventh angel, the one who saved her after the eight, the one who wanted her to come back with him, even if it was to a devastated world. She knew what she wanted now. But he didn't need to know that yet. She then snuggled closer to Shinji as the warmth generated helped both children finally find sleep. It was a fitful sleep, it was a pleasant sleep empty of the nightmares they both had fought through before. All they thought of that night was each other and how they felt about themselves, and their future. 

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Where to go!

The morning sun peaked over the crumbling expanse around where most of the city of Tokyo-3 and the Geo-front once stood. After the black moon rose during Third Impact, it took the whole of the Geo-front, from the remnants of the city above to the area known as Terminal Dogma at the bottom. All that was left was a giant hole in the ground surrounded by the edges of the once great city. There, nearer to the beaches slept the only people left in Japan, and probably the Planet Earth. The sun started to shine on two of the faces. Those facing the opening, Maya and Shigeru slowly started to wake up.

"I don't want to get up." Maya said aloud more to herself that to anyone in particular. Both children seemed to wiggle for a second, but seemed to become motionless after a few moments. Shigeru finally stretched where upon Maya snuggled closer since some of they're shared warmth seeped away when he stretched. He simply smiled and wrapped an arm around the slightly shivering former NERV Tech. She looked up at his smiling face and smiled back then buried her face in his chest, almost like a ground hog burrowing into its burrow.

"Maybe a few more hours won't hurt" Shigeru said as he brought both arms around Maya's small frame. They napped for another hour before it became warm enough for them to get up comfortably.

Within two hours, Maya and Shigeru had left the sleeping children a note and made their way around the buildings farthest away from the huge hole left by Lillith's accession. They stuck to mainly single story houses and stores, staying away from any building over two stories tall, and nearer to the edge of the gigantic abyss. They feared either being buried under a collapsed building, or falling into the huge cavern building an all, as they scavenged for medical supplies, food and clothing. They got lucky when they found a semi-collapsed pharmacy, where medication and some food were found. They then found a nearly in tact strip mall, which gave them more food and clothing. They also found a child's' red wagon, and a shopping cart to take their supplies back to where they had left the children. They then took a good look at what remained of the area. It looked like a thin line of buildings and roads that led right off the edge of the deep and circular chasm to an empty abyss that symbolized the results of man's folly to be god, and not in the image of god. Maya took Shigeru's arm and held it tight as they gazed into the emptiness, thinking their own thoughts of a future that would be. Their hands clasped each other and held on tight as they comforted each other as they stood there.

"Let's get this back to the kids and then after Asuka's better, we're heading to Tokyo-2."

"Why there, Shigeru?" Maya looked at him with a perplexed look.

"Because I see very little vegetation here, and since this was the epicenter of the destruction, it's only logical to head for the nearest place where we should find suitable and adequate shelter. Plus we need a place for Asuka to recuperate and rehabilitate." He then looked down at Maya. "How long will she need to recover from her injuries?"

She had a sad look on her face. "About six to eight weeks, but the psychological trauma will take a lot longer"

"That would be for all of us Maya, not just Asuka" His mind became a jumble of images seen from his an others perspectives. When they were in Instrumentality, they were one, and he had a view of many who witnessed Lillith's ascension.

He knew of what Maya saw, and remembered her fear as well as his. The multiple Rei's, and the Giant Rei/Lillith, floating through the Geo-Front, and themselves. Then he remembered the fleeting glimpses of Asuka's, and Shinji final moments. He resolved then and there to protect Maya and the children, and help them to survive. Shigeru then started making his way back to the building where they had left to two sleeping children, as Maya followed.

By now, it was past midday.

{**Earlier: while Maya and Shigeru were out**}

About an hour after they left, Shinji woke up a bit disoriented, but he feels the weight of another in his arms, as he looks up to see a mass of red hair. He smiles as under the blankets he starts to rub one of Asuka's earlobes. She moves her hand to deal with it swatting at his fingers as to ward off a bothersome fly. She then slowly wakes up as well. She opens her eyes to the smiling face of the former third child. She smiles back, then moves away from him allowing the cool air in around them. Both shiver and she quickly reverses what she is doing and snuggles onto Shinji again, still facing his smiling face. He chuckles as she shivers in his arms. "Laugh it up baka, and you'll see what I can do this close!" Asuka gets that evil smirk she had when she was about to do something naughty. Before Shinji could react, she then gets a hand full of his skin through his shirt, and squeezes. 

His chuckle becomes a yelp as the lanky boy feels the pain. "Ouch, hey that hurt Asuka." His smile gone, an angry glare replaces it.

"Just remember that the next time you laugh at me Baka Shinji. Now stay still so I can rest some more." An air of arrogance surrounds the German girl. Then Shinji realizes that they are alone, Shigeru and Maya are gone. He then looks back at the girl in his arms.

"Aren't you curious that we're alone, Asuka, They left us alone."

She looked at him shaking her head. "Look next to us and you'll see a note, they probably went out to scavenge for some more food and supplies, so I think we should stay here, be nice, warm and enjoy my company." She laughs and he groans while rolling his eyes, as they settle back to their original position.

After a few minutes, Shinji has a nagging question that he wants an answer for, but he doesn't want to be hurt again by the fiery girl in his arms. But she does notice his concerned looks as he moves his head to and frough. The movement makes his nervousness obvious.

He was thinking if Porcupines had this problem when a small hand taps his chin. He looks down to see her deep blue eyes looking at him with a calmness, yet still intense in their gaze. Mesmerized for a few moments, Asuka enjoys the singular adoration of Shinji Ikari before she taps his chin, this time with a bit more force. That got his attention. "Yes, Asuka?"

"Shinji, you have that face I always see when you want to ask me a question, but are afraid to. And before you deny it, I'll promise not to hurt you, cause I don't want to see you waiting to ask me until next week, and piss me off even more, OK."

He simply nodded. Then Asuka waited for Shinji to gather his thoughts and courage. After another minute, and Asuka slowly simmering some more, he finally asked. "Asuka, Why did you come back? And before you answer, I know it wasn't just my wanting you here. My mom made it clear to me, that those who wanted to come back could."

Asuka s expression changed from miffed to confused in a wink. She then waited a few more moments as she thought of a proper answer. Shinji waited patiently as she finally answered him. "I don't like lies and what we were given back in Third Impact were fantasies, lies, and not the reality that we knew was here." 

She sighed, remembering her fantasy world where her parents were together, The stooges were the butt of every joke she pulled off them, Rei her normal friend, and Shinji's sister. And, Shinji, oh Shinji was her confidant and caring boyfriend, and acted like he did when he had rescued her all those times before. It was very enticing, but she knew deep down that it wasn't real. One of the things she shared with Shinji was the idea that life had to have not only its joys, but its sorrows as well. That realization, and her newfound feelings for the boy, were what brought her back. "So, I came back here because I want to have a life that's real, and not a fake, a lie I can't live in a lie. You know what I mean, right?" She looked up at his face for his response.

It didn't take very long, "I understand Asuka, I came back for the same reasons, though I originally wanted just me coming back, alone." She looked at him with a queer look. She was confused.

"But, why did you want to come back alone. Why?" She looked now with a bit of hurt in her expression.

"Because, because I was given the chance for everyone to either live, or die. So I though why not give everyone the choice to have a happy life with no pain, no chance at being hurt, while I, having made that decision deserved to take all the punishment that brought on. I alone to bare the guilt of them all, and I deserved it." He had that dejected look on his face again. Before she could react to that, he continued. "I felt it was my fault that this all happened, So, I felt guilty for it. And before you get mad at me and hit me, I had wished everyone would get their wish for their lives. So, I thought I would be alone, as those I had considered my friends would be with those they loved. Misato with Kaji, Hikari, with Touji, and you in your world, with your Mom, and so on, but I wasn't totally right there. So, I guess that's why you're here then, right." He put his hand behind his head scratching it.

"Mmmm, you saved yourself that time Baka, so for now I won't brain you." She smiled at him to calm him down. "But, don't you see that by allowing everyone their wishes you allowed yours as well. That means all the wishes. So, when some wishes clashed, Lillith seemed to allow those that would benefit you more. Do you get it now." She looked at him with a genuine and caring look.

A slow look of acknowledgement overcame his sad face as he finally realized what Asuka was saying. "Thanks, Asuka, that made it a lot clearer for me, and not hitting me helped too." He smiled at her again, she relished the feeling she got in that, but she didn't want to lift all her emotional walls just yet.

"Like I said, don't think I'm letting you off the hook." She then settled down and they rested but didn't go back to sleep in each other's arms. They took advantage of this time, as they knew it would be harder for them as their future was theirs to make, and theirs to lose. Now they would be determining that, and not some shadow group or an obsessed man who stooped at nothing to get what he wanted.

They both unconsciously rubbed each other's back, and shoulder as they waited for Maya and Shigeru's return. They knew when they returned they would have to let each other go, and deal with survival. The sharing of warm feelings was all they wanted now. They stayed that way until just after midday when the two former NERV techs finally returned.

Now What? Well as we see both couples have feelings for each other, but survival becomes the main issue as a cold winter sets in and hampers their trek to Tokyo-2. See what happens in **Chapter 3: Challenges and Feelings Revealed**. Hope you continue to R&R, dennisud


	3. A Journey!

****

Disclaimers:

Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc. are Property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. This is a "what if" story, so take it as a divergence from the EoE Movie. So, it is an A/U story as well.

**As always, thanks go out to my pre-reader Datexan! Great Job Tex!

Duo Awakenings

****

Chapter #3: The Journey 

One week after

It took a week to get enough gear and supplies for the foursome to attempt their trek from the devastated remnants of Tokyo-3 to the metropolis Thirty miles away called Tokyo-2. Shigeru had surmised that anyplace away from the Third Impact's epicenter would be better than staying there. So, the nearest place with the chance at having enough supplies to last them for six months to a year would be welcome. 

The other thing that the group was keenly aware was the dropping of temperature every day since their emergence from the sea of LCL. Since the first day they had to huddle together in their makeshift shelter as it got colder and colder. Luckily for them, the third day out Shinji had stumbled upon a sport store, which had stocked winter ski gear. So all four had enough long johns, jackets, ski pants, long sleeve shirts and sweaters to keep them relatively warm, but the cold showers from a continuously running broken water pipe were stopped by the fourth day, as Maya had developed a severe cold.

Added to that was the slow recovery of Asuka's arm and other physical injuries. Although the former second child did all of the painful exercises prescribed by Maya to help gain needed strength, her injured body was taking time in regaining some of her strength.

After having a meal of canned meat and vegetables the four survivors quietly had a discussion while gathered over their open hearth within the shelter they had been using.

****

An After-dinner discussion

As the four situated themselves comfortably, well as they could, given their circumstances, Shigeru Aoba began.

"I think that if Maya can confirm hers, and Asuka's conditions, we will leave for Tokyo-2 tomorrow!" He turned to his left at the former Nerv Tech with a nod.

"Well I can tell you that although I'm a little weak, and Asuka will still have some problems, I think as long as we ride in something, rather than walk, then we can make it there without too much trouble." She then smiled at the tall longhaired former Nerv Command center tech.

He returned the gesture, which caught the eye of one Asuka Langley Souryu.

"Hey, no flirting while we're talking business!" She said that with a slight grin.

Shigeru grimaced then continued. "Listen, we need to get out tomorrow before the weather gets any worse."

"What do you mean Shigeru? Is it, going to get colder?" asked an apprehensive Shinji, who was sitting next to Asuka with a blanket over his head and shoulders, trying to face the fire with his whole body. Asuka was lying on her side with another blanket wrapped around her, with her injured arm lying on her side as she too was facing the bright warm fire.

Sitting opposite to them was Shigeru and Maya sitting right next to each other, sharing a 

Blankets, over they're laps. While another blanket was covering both of their shoulders. 

"I wouldn't be surprised if snow wasn't either falling down or accumulating by tomorrow." A brisk wind made it into their shelter clearly emphasizing Shigeru's statement.

"Burr, it is getting nippy!" Shinji said out loud to no one in particular.

Maya then waved to get everyone's attention. 

"But, what are we going to use to get to Tokyo-2 that wouldn't jostle Asuka, and aggravate her injuries?" Maya asked with a concerned look on her face.

Shinji then answered before Shigeru could. "We found an six person electric golf cart!"

"A What?" stated an angry Asuka? "You've got to be kidding! That dinky thing won't go faster than maybe 30 to 40 kilometers an hour. It would take up to two days in optimal conditions to make it there." Asuka said in a harsher and more exasperated tone. "Hey, why can't we use that Humvee you've been using! It seems to have all the maneuverability we need, and it's closed off from the elements. Why can't we use that?" She said, as she moved carefully to a sitting position never letting her arm move from its position, slowly going from a horizontal to a vertical position. Shinji, who saw her labored movements, moved aside somewhat and then gingerly unwrapped his blanket to encompass her and carefully moved next to her. More to get warm quicker, and to avoid her slap as he was sitting on the same side as her injured arm. She glared at him at first, then as he situated himself and the blanket came around her, she calmed and then silently accepted the gesture. Then both turned their attention to Shigeru who was waiting for them to stop moving around so he could answer Asuka's statement.

"Normally I would agree with you totally, but most of the roads around what used to be Tokyo-3 are either full of wreckage, or have only a narrow passage where the Humvee wouldn't fit through." So, I drove it yesterday to the opposite side of the city, and we'll use the cart to navigate through the city to get to it tomorrow.

"But, but, isn't there any other vehicle that can get through those breaks in the wreckage?" Asuka was now voicing her feelings of foreboding at taking such a slow and exposed vehicle. "I don't want to be exposed to this cold air that you said was coming." She added.

He then looked intently, then sympathetically at the redheaded teen. "There are those four person micro-vans, but they have lousy suspension. You'd probably be bounced around so much you would be injured further, and you're head would be hitting the roof all the time." He smiled at Asuka, then continued. "We really have no choice. But, I have replaced the plastic flaps in the back section of the cart with heavy military blankets, so you and Maya will be relatively warm, and Shinji and I will arrange the medical, and food supplies within easy reach of all of us."

"Listen, I'll go along with riding on that plastic go cart as long as the Humvee is waiting with the heater on." Asuka added

"Sure, and I'll even get some pillows for you to make it more comfortable for you. Is that a deal then?" Shigeru smirked, trying to alleviate Asuka's fears.

The despondent German girl gave an audible sigh, and then she nodded her ok as Shinji hesitantly took her good hand in his. "Don't worry Asuka you'll be able to get back to your old self after we arrive at Tokyo-2. Just be a little more patient and" 

A finger cut him off, on his lips, as she stared intently at his eyes. "Will you be there helping me with my rehab?" With her simple statement, and looking intently at him, she made it clear that she wanted him with her, and asking for help. 

Shinji thought of this, as she didn't change her expressionless stare. "She never asks for help. Maybe Third Impact has changed her more than I thought." He looked down then after collecting his thoughts; he looked at her with a caring smile. "Not even a rampaging Eva could pull me away from that. I want the Asuka I knew back. The one that doesn't take any crap from anyone!" 

Slowly a smile started to spread across her face. "Damn straight, My Baka Shinji, damn straight!" She then took his hand under the blanket and squeezed, giving Shinji the silent signal that she appreciated what he said. He simply kept smiling.

"Now looks who's flirting!" Maya added, which got the normal "It's not like that!" response in stereo from both children.

****

Tokyo-2, here we go!

After some more discussion on the small details of their trek tomorrow, The two couples situated the shelter for the night. They then took turns going to the adjacent room for final bathroom rituals. Finally, they took they're usual spots on the two queen sized futons and zipped up the sleeping bags for the night. The two adults had to help the two children due to Asuka's injured arm. They had to slide themselves carefully into a single position where Shinji was laying on his back as Asuka, with Maya's help had laid her injured arm on Shinji's chest with a pillow between. Then Shigeru zipped up the former pilots and wished them a good night. The children then witnessed a similar situation across the shelter as Shigeru and Maya situated themselves in a similar fashion. Only that Maya had a box of tissues and Shigeruwas forced to wear a surgical mask so he had less chance of catching Maya's cold. The children snickered as she put his mask on; though, a wicked look from him silenced their giggles. " We have a long day ahead, so have a good night, and sleep well."

Both children nodded and lay down and moved slightly to a more comfortable position. As it had become they're custom, both couples had quiet whispered conversations so as not to disturb the other couple and to keep their conversations private.

"Asuka, have you seen snow before?" was Shinji's opening comment.

"Yeah, Last time was about five months before I came to Tokyo-3. I had lots of fun with snowball fights and making snowmen. But it was cold then, and I really don't like being cold" She then snuggled as close to him as possible.

"I can see that" He smiled at her as she smirked at him. But soon the warmth enveloped them booth and they sighed contently. Shinji then realized that he had an important question to ask the girl, snuggling into his chest. And though it felt wonderful for her to rub her face into him, he knew he had to ask her this now, that they were leaving Tokyo-3.

"Asuka? Ca, can I ask you something?" 

She murmured a "Yeah, What Shinji?" as she shifted herself some, so her ear was closer to him.

"I wanted to tell you that, that I care for you." He then waited for her reaction. And he waited, and waited some more! It was almost a full minute until, he felt some coldness on his chest as Asuka used her good arm which was tucked between them, to lever herself up to look directly at the former third child. She looked intently at him with a face that showed no emotion just an intense glare. Finally she sighed closed her eyes and bent down towards him. She was now wide eyed, and face to face with a now very nervous Shinji. They could see their own breath as they stared at each other.

Across the room Maya and Shigeru witnessed all that was going on and holding each other tightly they listened intently while keeping silent at the interaction between the couple lying across from them.

As they're breaths intermixed in a smoky haze it abruptly ended when Asuka lowered her lips to Shinji's quivering pair. At first She was the one kissing, as Shinji seemed like a statue, seemingly scared stiff. Then within a few moments, he returned the kiss clumsily at first. Then putting his free hand behind Asuka neck; he continued the kiss like a starving man finding a heart-warming meal. Asuka only seemed to intensify her ministrations as they then started to French kiss!

This caused several coughs, and clearing of throats from across the room. Maya and Shigeru would have allowed the kiss to continue hadn't it got so intense so fast. Then Shigeru thought fast and said, "Hey lets conserve that energy for tomorrow, ok!"

Shigeru's comment was more of an order than a request. This finally signaled the teens to finish their long and obviously enjoyable kiss. 

"Party pooper!" Asuka said in a muffled voice as she had lowered herself back to Shinji's chest pausing a moment to admire the dazed look he had, and knowing she was the cause. "Well Baka, I hope that tells you how I feel about you. She whispered as Shinji answered by nodding his head with a big goofy grin on his face. He then held the girl tightly, clearly conveying his feelings for her now.

Maya had to ask Shigeru if he heard a giggle from across the room just after his admonishment of the teens and their kiss. "Let's keep an eye for a few more minutes until they fall asleep."

"Well, it looks like we'll have to keep an eye from now on. I better have a girl to girl talk with Asuka while we make our way to the Humvee tomorrow," Maya sighed.

Shigeru added. "As well as I with Shinji. Oh boy now I can appreciate Misato's job as their guardian." 

"Well until more people come back from the LCL, we are their guardians."

"Yeah, I know, that's' what's making me even more frightened than the cold."

They both laughed then looked up to see if they had disturbed the children.

To their relief, both seemed to be fast asleep. With that they snuggled closer to each other, then just before Shigeru fell asleep, he felt a feather touch kiss on his cheek.

And in a whisper Maya said. "Asuka had the right idea. Just keep that in mind Mr. Aoba."

Shigeru was the one stiff as a board until he felt the steady rhythm of a sleeping Maya Ibuki in his arms. He then kissed her forehead and added. "I'll keep it in my thoughts. Good night my angel." Then within a few minutes, the last of the conscious survivors finally succumbed to the darkness of sleep.

****

Blizzard

As morning arose and light filled the otherwise dark shelter the four survivors of Third impact slowly stirred and found that the fire, now glowing coals had kept most of the cold out. With that said, the two couples slowly disentangled with the younger pair waiting patiently as the adults made they're way out of their sleeping bag. And then helped them out of theirs.

After a hearty breakfast, which was helped some with the extra wood they had, on the fire and canned beef and noodles, plus some hot tea. 

They had a brief discussion on the children's' activities the night before, and then after some more discussion, the men got ready to go outside when they peered out and saw an amazing sight.

A field of white carpet now lay over the brown and greenish grime on the ground. Not only did it snow; it accumulated mainly due to the dropping temperature. Shigeru knew he had to move their little group fast and fast meant as soon as possible.

"Ok, we need to move now! No waiting! I'm giving you 10 minutes to get packed and be ready to go."

"Hey, Why the fire on our asses attitude?" Asuka was glaring at him.

"If we don't get that cart moving soon, we will be trapped her Ms Soryu. Is that enough to fuel your fire!" Shigeru was glaring back. Asuka hrrumped, and then asked Shinji to help her pack, turning away from the former Tech. Maya then came up to where Shigeru was piling his and now her belongings next to the front door.

"Don't be too hard on her, just be more patient" Shigeru turned his head, and snapped at her.

"Maya, please I can't think straight and worry about whether she feels good or not."

He regretted it the moment he said it. "Maya I, I'm sorry but I have to make sure we leave before we get stuck" He was surprised and even more shocked as his eyes bulged out as Maya's lips shut him up.

After a few seconds and some chuckling from the former pilots, Maya broke the kiss, and said, "I know but you have to balance trying to protect us with being human."

She then simply left him in a lurch, till Shinji nudged him to help him load up the last of the groups' belongings and put them in 6-person golf-cart. Then the boys situated the girls in the second seat. Both were wrapped in coats and blankets with the snacks and medical supplies at the ready just in case. Then with Shinji's help, Shigeru closed off the back end of the cart with several thick blankets thereby sheltering the girls to the worsening weather.

Then after Shigeru checked the now abandoned shelter that had served them for the last week, he and Shinji climbed into the exposed front of the cart. After securing themselves as best they could, they started the cart and with the winds whipping up the new snow, they started making their way slowly through the debris-strung streets of what was left of Tokyo-3.

As they made their way around the crater of what was left of the once great city, the wind blown snow intensified. Shigeru knew from his memories before Second Impact that they were in a full-blown blizzard. He yelled back behind him at the two bundled women sitting behind him. "Keep yourselves protected, we should make it to the Humvee in about an hour." Maya had been looking at the two males sitting in front of her and Asuka. They seemed to be ok for now, but if it took an hour more they might not be. So she opened the med-kit and produced two Vitamin enriched shots. After getting Shinji's attention she made them stop for a minute and gave each a shot to make sure they would have every chance to get them there in one piece and as healthy as they could be.

An hour later both had runny noses like Maya, but they did make it to the Humvee, which was halfway covered by a light sheet of snow. Shigeru and Shinji then made their way out and got most of the snow off of the vehicle, but the main thing they did was to start the jury rigged Humvee which had a solar panel on it's roof.

Within minutes, the vehicle was working and heating up inside it's closed cabin. Except for non-essential items, which were stored in the back, The men carefully transferred the needed supplies and then both women to the back seats of the Humvee. The vehicle being a low profile had a sizable hump in the middle of it, so each seat was basically separate from the others. So Shigeru and Shinji first transferred Maya and got her into the heated interior. She then, as they went to get Asuka, situated the supplies and much needed instant food packs for each one of the survivors.

Asuka was her usual self, though most of her comments to watch the hands seemed to be directed at Shigeru and not Shinji. "Must have been that scene last night," Maya thought to herself, as they loaded Asuka into the seat across the hump from hers.

After Asuka and Maya were secure in the Humvee, and they had an impromptu cold lunch, Shigeru announced that he would be driving the rest of the way to Tokyo-2.

With the Humvee and it's 3-foot clearance, the quartet made their way down the main road or what was left of the superhighway towards Tokyo-2, the speed regulated by the complaints of the former second child.

****

Rest stop

As the four former Nerv employees and current survivors of mankind made their way through the blizzard that descended on them, it was clear that it was intensifying.

Shigeru then had Shinji, who was acting as his navigator check on the map they had, where the nearest town or shelter was off of the main highway between Tokyo-3 and Tokyo-2.

They settled on a little town not 10 miles north of Tokyo-2. The map they used was an old highway map of Tokorozawa. The town they stopped in was called Kiyose.

They took another 20 minutes to find an abandoned Suu or inn. After Shigeru and Shinji went out and secured the area around the inn, they started a fire in the inn's kitchen and arranged their supplies within that same area. They dragged in two more queen sized futons and with the food they had, plus a gas run grill they had the first really cooked food courtesy of Shigeru and Shinji, who made the women rest as they cooked and served them their dinner. Both appreciated the effort and as the feelings between each pair of people became obvious, they were kindly rewarded that night. Nothing really serious as they knew that the next day, they would hopefully leave this place, and arrive in Tokyo-2.

They did go to sleep together but both couples were right next to each other. Shigeru then told Maya he didn't want to take any chances if Asuka and Shinji becoming too frisky. 

But they didn't have much to worry about, as both children were asleep within ten minutes of the time they went to bed. Both adults followed shortly thereafter

****

Arrival

The next day, the little group arrived in the outskirts of Tokyo-2 around noon, and as per their plan headed for the Nerv facilities there. That took another hour until they located the old Nerv headquarters used before their move to Tokyo-3. It was still being used as a supply facility until Third Impact, so there were ample supplies of many kinds.

The base, which actually was a block of buildings near the center of the city, was designed as a self contained, self sustaining center, so when they arrived it was running on back up generators, and was the only area of the city with power 

(A/N: Hey, you have to give them some chance here!)

After that happy discovery, the four made their way through the center while still in their Humvee as most of the hallways were made of thick construction just in case the Angels had attacked there, instead of Tokyo-3.

Soon they found the base's infirmary and they set up camp in it for that night. After Shigeru had secured the area, they had Maya activate the usable security systems so they'd feel safer as they decided to stay there and see if the weather would keep them there, or if any changes would mean changes for them as well.

As night came, and feeling a bit more secure, the girls finally fell asleep without the boys at their side more due to their ailments rather than any wish to be separated from their men. So, it was this restful time which allowed Shigeru, and Shinji to go to the base's Control center, and make a low-level sweep of the base using the sensors. Shinji just sat beside Shigeru as he ran the sweep when he asked timidly

"Well what do we do now, Shigeru?"

"We wait get Maya better, and help with Asuka's rehab. Then we'll see if this freaky weather will keep us here."

"But. If the weather clears where do we go, or are we staying?" Shinji waited as the former tech gave some thought to his question.

Shigeru then sighed. "We should all make that decision when the girls are healthier." He then looked intently at the former pilot. "Plus we seem to have enough resources here where we can stay or be able to find a place to live that can support us. Plus, this city would be a place that most people would flock to after they leave the LCL Sea. So, either way staying here for now would be to our benefit."

Shinji slowly nodded and smiled. "I just want a place where we can have a chance to survive, and to have a normal life. Shigeru understood the boy's wishes, as he too wanted the same!

Then they both sat silently observing the readouts with warm mugs of herbal tea, one making sure things outside wouldn't harm them, the other thinking of a chance at a future for all of them. The next few weeks would tell weather Humanity would survive, ...or not!

****

Chapter#4: Changes, and chances!

Will they stay or go? And what's this new signal they find, in Matsushiro!


	4. Sacrifices

Disclaimers: Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc. are Property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. This is a "what if" story, so take it as a divergence from the EoE Movie. So, it is an A/U story as well.  
  
**As always, thanks go out to my pre-reader Datexan! Great Job Tex!  
  
Duo Awakenings  
  
Chapter #4: Sacrifice  
  
Awakening Reality  
  
Shigreu had many a headache in his life but never one that seemed like an Eva was standing on his head. This was that one! A type of headache that felt like his head was about to explode. "OH, Boy what was the number on that Missile that hit me!" was all the 24 year-old tech could think coherently enough to hear. He then carefully opened his eyes. They were assailed with the stark bright light of a naked bulb hanging above him set on a gray concrete ceiling. "Where am.." He couldn't complete the sentence as a second wave of pain and nausea overtook him, he looked around in blurred vision until he saw a metal toilet which he lounged at and gave his semi-liquid offering to the metal goddess of the sewers.  
  
After he had finished heaving his stomach contents, he tried to take in his surroundings. He saw where he was sitting was a metal cot with a one-inch mattress on it. Across from him sat another cot now occupied by a familiar figure, that of the former Third child. He recognized Shinji's clothing as those that he wore when he was with him at the secondary command center of the Tokyo-2 Nerv base.  
  
Shigreu deduced by the way the boy was lying and his deep rhythmic breathing, that he was in an induced sleep like he had been. This brought to the Tech's mind the thought of, why where they here and what happened to get them here? Then he saw Shinji stir and made his way to him mostly on his hands and knees as his equilibrium hadn't recovered yet from his forced sickness earlier.  
  
"Shinji? Hey Shinji, are you ok?" Shigreu then shook his younger companion to help him wake up when he saw the 'green around the gills' look. Quickly maneuvering him from a seated position he helped Shinji find the metal goddess to alleviate the boys' stomach of its contents. He then waited a few minutes as the former pilot recovered.  
  
After a few minutes the now white as a sheet boy finally looked up at him and asked; "What happened?"  
  
Shigreu simply shrugged his shoulders and said; "Don't know but it's obvious we weren't alone in this base. Someone had to have seen us come in and set us up to get caught."  
  
Then both of them simultaneously thought of one thing. "THE GIRLS!"  
  
"Damn what happened to Asuka and Maya?" was their unison call.  
  
"Come on Shinji we have got to get out of this cell and find the girls!" Shigreu then directed Shinji to look for anything that could help them break out of the obvious detention cell that they were in as he checked the door of the room to see if there was a way to get out.  
  
Then as they got under way to do just that a tinned voice called out; "That will be quite enough Gentlemen"  
  
Both looked at each other surprised, then angry at the disembodied voice. Shigreu then yelled out, "Who are you and what have you done with Lt. Ibuki and Pilot Soryu?"  
  
A laugh was heard in reply, as the high pitched distorted voice answered; "The women are quite safe and being taken care of. But that isn't what I want to talk to you about gentlemen. I want to ask a simple question."  
  
Shinji then spoke up before Shigreu could reply. "We will not answer anything unless you prove to us that Asuka and Maya are all right."  
  
"Ah I see chivalry is not dead." The voice said, then after a pregnant pause it added, "All right, I'll accept your request. Please go through the unlocked door, and then follow the corridor to conference room 2 on level 10. There you will find the women and us as well."  
  
Shigreu then opened the now unlocked door and both of them made their way down to level ten. One thing they did notice was that the base now seemed to have all the power back on. 'So whoever is holding us have access and knowledge of this base.' Shigreu thought as a plan started to form in his head. 'Then they may become too confident of themselves. That's where I can use my knowledge of the base and its little secrets to do something.'  
  
As Shigreu was thinking of a way to get them out of this mess, Shinji's only thought was 'Oh god I hope Asuka's not hurt. Please let her be ok. If they lay a hand on her I'll just...'  
  
All thoughts from both men stopped as they found the door to Conference room 2. Then as they held their breath they entered and found four people there. Two with guns drawn and Asuka and Maya sitting the far side of the room, chained to the wall.  
  
"Well Gentlemen I hope you can now answer our questions without impediment." The tall blond Caucasian man said as another brown haired European looking man stood next to him with a machine gun aimed at the women.  
  
Whatever plans Shigreu had were put on hold as he saw the rather untenable situation they were now in. They both simply nodded and closed the conference room door.  
  
Interrogation  
  
"I'm Lt. Shigreu Aoba, Nerv Tech first class serial #."  
  
"We know that Lieutenant, and we know that he is Shinji Ikari former Third Child and Pilot of Evangelion Unit-01. Am I right?" said the tall blond man.  
  
"So what do you want with us?" Shigreu asked rather tensely.  
  
"You ask what do we want with you, and the girls there?" A small chuckle emanated from the speaker. Simply .to complete Instrumentality!"  
  
The former Nerv personnel were stunned. "How can you achieve that without the Evas or the Angels (Meaning Adam & Lillith)?" A voice from the far side of the room said. The voice came from Maya Ibuki who was standing in the spot she had previously been sitting in.  
  
Also a now conscious Asuka had arisen to stand next to Maya. Now having a good look at her captors she was more than a little surprised at who she saw.  
  
"Poppa?" Asuka said. "Poppa is that you?" She was looking intently at the Brown haired man holding the Machine gun.  
  
He tightened his grip on the weapon and responded, while smiling evilly. "Yes Aki-chan, I'm here, now please stay where you are and allow Chairman Kiel to explain all this." His look was not one of a caring and devoted father but more like an aristocrat looking down at a peasant, in a harsh and uncaring manner.  
  
Asuka winced. "But.but why are you here and why are you pointing that thing at us.at me your own daughter?" Asuka asked, trying to comprehend the surreal scene unfolding in front of her.  
  
"Because you, these two lowly Nerv Tec's, and Gendo's spawn stopped Instrumentality from completing its evolution. That is why my dear daughter." He sneered.  
  
She looked down for a few moments, deep in thought then, it hit her. Asuka now realized something that she had thought she learned during their time in the LCL Sea, about Rei Ayanami. She was bred to be a tool of Nerv, Gendo Ikari, and ultimately SEELE. To initiate Instrumentality, and be the basis of Nerv's Dummy plug system, which SEELE later copied in the form of the Kouaru Dummy plugs within the Mass Production Evas that tore her apart during that last climatic battle. Now her own father was treating her as if she's yesterday's garbage. Then she realized, 'He must have impregnated my mother with me so I could be of use to them later. They probably did that to Yui Ikari. Which means Shinji was destined for the same purpose.'  
  
After a few seconds she looked back up this time with an angry and determined look on her face. "You won't succeed." That statement drew looks of confusion from the rest there, except Kiel Lorenz, the now healthy blond young man staring intently at the fuming redhead.  
  
"Yes my dear, I can see your intellect still serves you well. Even now resurrected in this desolate planet we are on . but, not for much longer."  
  
That got everyone's attention back to the scene at hand, then a lever was cocked on the Uzi type gun Alfred Langley was holding, still pointed at Maya and his daughter. It seemed that he had no qualms of gunning down his only child. That act alone made everyone realize that Gendo Ikari wasn't the only cold-hearted bastard they had known. Two more were standing, not two meters away.  
  
After some more serious looks were exchanged between captors and captives, Langley waved the two male prisoners towards the two-chained female prisoners.  
  
He then directed them to all sit down and they were told to stay there as their two captors rearranged the furniture so they were both seated a meter away from the four people now sitting on the floor. They chained Shinji and Shigreu, their backs to the wall behind them. They knew what was coming and seemed to resign themselves for at least lots of questions from the two men holding them.  
  
"All right. I have but three questions to ask you." The Blond haired man looked at them intently.  
  
Lt. Aoba interrupted Kiel Lorenz. "Sir, again I ask, what are you going to do with us?" He gave a more determined look towards the man, who before Instrumentality was a crippled old man with so many implants and other things to extend his life, that he looked more a machine than human.  
  
"I will answer that after you answer my three simple questions. Is that clearly understood?" Aoba sighs and nods the other three nodded reluctantly.  
  
"First why did you all come back from the perfect worlds Instrumentality had created for each of you?  
  
The quartet looked at each other then Shinji nodded and spoke up. The two SEELE members listened.  
  
"I came back to atone for all the pain I had cause others. I also wanted everyone to have a choice on whether to stay in their dream-reality, while I gave myself a lifetime sentence to live here by myself on our now dead planet to die and atone for my actions." He then sighed heavily until a hand slapped the back of his head.  
  
"You baka! How dare you try and do something so Stupid!" Asuka was glaring her usual 'Kill Shinji' glare to the now cowering boy. So intent in their conversation that they had seemingly forgotten that they were chained up. She shook her head, took him by the collar, and faced him. "You weren't at fault here Shinji." She looked at their jailers with anger and contempt then she looked back at him with much kinder eyes. "We know who really was responsible for all of our problems. And they will pay in this life or later." She then glared again at her father who returned an indifferent look back at her.  
  
They then heard a verbose chuckling from the Former Chairman of SEELE. It stopped when he had all of their attention. "So Ikari's son had the power of God in his hands, and instead of taking that power to do what should have been, could have been done, he wallowed in self pity and guilt. And doomed us all to a state of incompleteness because you felt GUILTY!"  
  
The slap echoed in the conference room as blood slowly made its way down Shinji's jaw where Kiel had struck it. "You weak excuse of a human being." Then with blinding speed a handgun appeared in Lorenz's hand pointed at the now shaking ex-pilot's forehead. For close to a minute Kiel shook in unbounded rage as the hammer of the gun slowly was pulled back. The tension in the room could be cut with an imaginary knife. Until just as swiftly as before the gun disappeared. After some audible sighs, Kiel Continued, turning the others.  
  
"Why did you come back?" He gestured to the three others now facing him.  
  
After a few moments Asuka spoke up. "I came back to . keep and eye on the baka. He can't find his way out of a paper bag." She was smiling at him now seemingly oblivious to their situation and what was around her. He seemed to also block out what was around him as her smile lifted his spirits. He knew she was showing her false persona with her words, but that smile confirmed in him her true feelings as to why she came back. The last few days of closeness were proof enough for him.  
  
Then their solitude was shattered as that familiar raking laughter emanating from Kiel Lorenz cut through their senses, and brought them back to life. "It seems like Eva pilot puppy love oh how quaint." He chuckled some more earning him glares from the four seated in front of him.  
  
After a few more silent moments he turned his attention on the two Nerv Bridge bunnies.  
  
"Now for you two, why are you here?"  
  
"Simple, one reason . Ritsuko Akagi" Aoba said without hesitation as he knew the more he stretched this questioning the better for their long term survival.  
  
A questioning look from both captors urged the long-haired Shigreu to continue. "She was without a doubt the most brilliant and inventive mind I have ever been witness to. The things she did to pull us out of the fire were quite phenomenal. Her integration of her knowledge of computer engineering, software development, as well as in the Medical and Biologic fields in my opinion exceeds her mothers' development of The Evangelion project, and the cloning system that produced Rei Ayanami."  
  
Their captors seemed perplexed at Aoba's knowledge, he simply continued. "Now during our brief oneness in the near instrumentality she sensed Shinji and then Asuka leaving the Compilation of Humanity. She then asked me to follow them and to bring someone along with me. Someone that she and frankly I (He looks at Maya with a loving look) cared about. She wanted both of us to help Shinji and Asuka in this hell formally called Earth. So I did as she asked."  
  
"Loyalty? Is that what you want to tell me, loyalty to a woman who slept with Gendo Ikari, yet knew she was unloved by him? Loyalty to a woman who's mother was similarly used by that same man. You expect me to believe that you were loyal to her?" As he looks at the seething Aoba, he turns to Maya Ibuki who was crying at all that Kiel had said of her former Sempai. "You expect me to believe you two had the same misguided feelings for our fair haired Doctor?" He then laughed heartily as both people he was directing his comments to, were shaking with rage and anger. "Don't make me think you all came back because of love?"  
  
He laughed yet again when Aoba and Asuka were at their wits end. Finally Aoba lunged at their blond questioner, who produced a black jack and struck Shigreu on the head and he landed in a heap at his feet. Both Maya and Asuka were screaming as Shinji was observing this, both his hands clenching and unclenching in anger.  
  
Seeing that he had gotten the reactions he wanted Kiel stepped back from the prone Aoba and walked to a cabinet at the other side of the room. He then extracted four bundles of wires, which he then placed near each of their prisoners. Within five minutes all four were now connected via those wires to a nondescript box which also had several lines now being connected to Kiel and Alfred. Through out the whole interrogation Alfred Langley kept a quiet but forceful vigil as Kiel incensed the four former Nerv workers and pilots.  
  
As Shigreu regained consciousness he found all six people (including himself) wired together via that box Kiel pulled out with the wires. Kiel then plugged in the box and waited till he had all the attention.  
  
"This box will be the instrument of our liberation from this desolate husk. It will free us of this existence and we will return to the oneness that instrumentality represents."  
  
"Wait . You mean your going to kill us all and you at the same time?" Shinji asked nervously.  
  
"Why how observant Mr. Ikari. I can see you take after your Mother." The off-handed remark made Shinji furious, not only at the slight against his mother but also at the gall of these two determining their fates this day. Shinji had had enough.  
  
But Kiel continued seemingly not noticing the enraged Shinji. "You see Below us is a pool of LCL, We will be all lowered into it and when I activate this button we will join the others in the LCL. Instrumentality will become all of our reality." The hand held device look almost like an exact copy of the one Ritsuko used to destroy the Rei clones in their LCL tanks. Shinji then realized to his agony what was to become of all of them. He had to act, and act now!  
  
Shinji tore the wires connected to him off, and tried to yank the shackles off of their hinges. With his movements stopping the planned Execution/Suicide, Kiel simply pointed a gun at the raving youth and simply said, "You never really counted Shinji Ikari, and you never will. Because even if I shoot you, you will still join us. So either way you lose."  
  
Kiel Lorenz then laughed maniacally, and then two shots were fired.  
  
A scream was heard as Shinji went down in a heap at the foot of the others seated. But suddenly an orange hexagonal wall formed separating the prisoners, and the two protagonists who fired their weapons uselessly at the AT-field. Then a familiar blue haired girl appeared on the opposite side of the gunmen.  
  
"You had your choice, to remain as one, or return. But because of the greed and hatred you harbor you returned to this earth. You will not be able to rejoin the one, and you will not hurt anyone anymore," with that said, Rei Ayanami raised her hand towards the two enraged men. Kiel Lorenz and Alfred Langley had no time to move, nor did they have time to react. The only thing that their minds could register was that with Lillith or Rei as she appeared now, their plans were turning to dust. Just as their minds comprehended this their bodies became as their plans became leaving just two piles of dust in the chairs that they had once occupied.  
  
Then a groan was heard by those there as Rei used her powers to free the rest from their shackles and all rushed to the wounded boy.  
  
There was a collective gasp as they saw the worst of wounds; a neat clean hole was on his right chest with blood steadily flowing out. Shinji though was smiling as he saw Rei who was now on one side of him while Asuka was on the other. He though 'Well if I go then I get to see those I care about the most.'  
  
He then slowly closed his eyes and became silent.  
  
The three that were left looked at Rei with a pleading look. Finally Asuka asked, "Can you save him?"  
  
"Maybe. But I will need your help." Rei said as she gazed intently on the now surprised Red head.  
  
Chapter #5: Aftermath You will see it sooner than this one I can guarantee! 


	5. Aftermath

****

Disclaimers:

Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc. are Property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. This is a "what if" story, so take it as a divergence from the EoE Movie. So, it is an A/U story as well.

**As always, thanks go out to my pre-reader Datexan! Great Job Tex!

Duo Awakenings

**Yes it's gonna be updated within 1-2 weeks so keep an eye out!

(_Fashback_ to the end of Chapter#4)

An Unusual Occurrence

Shinji tore the wires connected to him off, and tried to yank the shackles off of their hinges. With his movements stopping the planned Execution/Suicide, Kiel simply pointed a gun at the raving youth and simply said, "You never really counted Shinji Ikari, and you never will. Because even if I shoot you, you will still join us. So either way you lose."

Kiel Lorenz then laughed maniacally, and then two shots were fired.

A scream was heard as Shinji went down in a heap at the foot of the others seated. But suddenly an orange hexagonal wall formed separating the prisoners, and the two protagonists who fired their weapons uselessly at the AT-field. Then a familiar blue haired girl appeared on the opposite side of the gunmen.

"You had your choice, to remain as one, or return. But because of the greed and hatred you harbor you returned to this earth. You will not be able to rejoin the one, and you will not hurt anyone anymore," with that said, Rei Ayanami raised her hand towards the two enraged men. Kiel Lorenz and Alfred Langley had no time to move, nor did they have time to react. The only thing that their minds could register was that with Lillith or Rei as she appeared now, their plans were turning to dust. Just as their minds comprehended this, their bodies became as their plans became leaving just two piles of dust in the chairs that they had once occupied.

Then a groan was heard by those there as Rei used her powers to free the rest from their shackles and all rushed to the wounded boy.

There was a collective gasp as they saw the worst of wounds; a neat clean hole was on his right chest with blood steadily flowing out. Some lesser wounds were attended to, but the chest wound was the most serious. Shinji though was smiling as he saw a concerned Rei, who was now on one side of him while a worried Asuka was on the other. He though 'Well if I go, I get to see those I care about the most now.'

He then slowly closed his eyes and became silent.

The three that were left looked at Rei with a pleading look. Maya trembling , remembering the image of the Giant Rei going through Central Dogma, Shigreu held her in his arms comforting her. Finally Asuka not caring how or why she was here asked, "Can you save him?"

"Maybe. But I will need your help." Rei said as she gazed intently on the now surprised Red head.

****

Aftermath

"Asuka, are you willing to do what I say to save Shinji-Kun?" the stoic blue-haired beauty stared at the emotional German girl.

The determination in Asuka's eyes said much by itself. But, she voiced her feelings anyway.

"Whatever it takes to save him, I do what you say Wonder girl" Rei simply nodded and directed Asuka to straddle the wounded boys lower abdomen. Rei sat right behind her and took her hands with hers from behind.

"What are you doing Rei?" Her emotionless yet determined look silenced Asuka.

Rei sighed lightly then explained as she acted to help Shinji. 

"When Adam exploded in Antarctica which caused Second Impact 15 years ago, there were microscopic cells that were released from the First angel. That act then infused you and Shinji with those cells. Do you agree with that theory?" 

Asuka thought for a few moments, then she nodded in agreement with Rei's theory. 

"Yeah I can see how that could happen. But what does that have to do with helping Shinji and both of us sitting on him while he's bleeding to death?" Asuka said in a steadily louder voice. Rei took both their hands and put them above Shinji's wound and then, Rei shut her eyes in concentration. Suddenly, both girls started to glow from their eyes and their hands as though it was coming from within them. The glow spread outwards to encompass their bodies. It finally spread to Shinji himself. Maya and Shigreu looked on in awe and trepidation, as the three children seemed to be glowing in a differing rainbow of colors. 

It reminded the Techs of the way an Entry Plug synced with it's Evangelion. They were so enthralled with this that they almost didn't recognize the changes happening to Shinji's wounded body, nor those to Asuka under her bandaged arm.

Maya first noticed the wound beginning to close up under the girl's hands. As this was happening, small bright sparkles seemed to be floating away from the trio. They seemed to be of two different colors, while those flowing out of Rei seemed to be of a bluish tinge, those from Asuka and Shinji had a reddish color. Also Rei's physical appearance started to change. Her light blue azure hair slowly started to turn darker eventually becoming a light brown color. Her eyes also changed from the bright red color to a mellower green.

Then after what seemed like a good ten minutes (actually 2 minutes), the three children slowly lost their multicolored glow around them, the girls seemed to lose consciousness, and they slumped forward, ending up lying on top of a now healed Shinji. He seemed to be breathing normally, and his wound was now bloodless and closed, as though it was never there.

Maya and Shigreu sat there speechless witnessing what seemed to them was a miracle.

Then as they moved to check on them, they started to come to.

Asuka was first to stir and found her self sandwiched between Shinji whom she was lying on, and a still unconscious Rei. She didn't immediately see where she was but she definitely said what she felt.

"Wow, what was the number of that Meglev that ran over me!" As Asuka held her head with her now uninjured arm, she realized two things, She was sitting on Shinji, and he was still asleep with a calm and contented look on his face. 

She then looked at the areas on his chest were the bullet wound was, and saw it was gone.

It didn't take more that a second more for her to glomp him and start weeping tears of joy and relief completely oblivious to the fact that Rei was still on her back, unconscious.

Though out all this she also didn't realize she was using the arm that was supposed to be weak and useless.

After a few more minutes Maya, Shigreu, and a now calmed Asuka had moved Shinji and Rei to the base's underground Barracks area two floors below the Command center. Asuka insisted she'd stay and keep an eye on the two sleeping children. Lt.'s Ibuki & Aoba then made their way back to the Command center to start to unravel the mystery behind how two men Like Kiel Lorenz and Alfred Langley made it back from the LCL, and to Tokyo-2 instead of Europe where the men were previous to Third Impact.

As this was going on Asuka was talking quietly to a still knocked out Shinji, as Rei quietly woke up. Asuka had her back to her as her attention was focused on her boyfriend.

Then Shinji stirred and started to wake up. He became fully awake as Asuka was on his chest squeezing him and crying onto his shoulder.

Rei observed all this and quietly got up walked out of the room away from the teen couple as Shinji was having a hard time breathing "Asuka, can't. Breath! P-p-please let go?"

"Oh Sorry My Baka, I was just so happy, to." Then she looked around, realizing where she was, who she was on, and whom should have been there as well but wasn't. She got up and practically threw him back onto the bed he laid in, again using both arms. She hrumped and walked to a nearby chair sitting down and then realized she didn't get the whole story from Rei. She then thought about the girl and remembered seeing .a different Rei. 'Hey what happened to her hair. and her eyes were .green?' As she was thinking of this Shinji also tried to remember what had happened. 

'Ok, First I was shot, then as I fell I saw someone materialize between me and Kiel. Then oh yeah it was Rei, or Lillith Aw I don't know which. But then an AT field popped up.

Then after some more shouting and something burning, I saw Asuka, and Rei.

"REI?!?!?!?" Shinji shouted startling Asuka and making Rei run back, into the room she had left to give Shinji & Asuka some private time.

"Shinji-kun are you all right?" Rei asked as Asuka had Shinji up by his collar yelling at him.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again baka, and what's the deal yelling Wonder-girl's name and not mine huh?" Asuka said.

"Hum, Asuka your arm?" Shinji gasped between shakes. Asuka completely ignored him as she shook him. She finally put him down.

"Well, I was just startled and Rei showing up like that. I do remember you being there as I blacked out, it's just that well Rei suddenly appeared and well that freaked me out I all."

Shinji was rubbing the back of his head apologetically.

But before he could say it Asuka yelled, "DON'T SAY YOU'RE SORRY!"

Then she kissed him full and hard on the lips, which seemed to deflate the tense situation and made it rather uncomfortable for a now flustered Rei as Shinji and Asuka lip locked and were quite enjoying it. She quietly again tried to leave but as she was distracted by the couple kissing, she hit her leg on a chair loudly enough to stop then from kissing. 

"Yup, she's related to you all right!" Asuka said in not to friendly a term.

"Rei, isis that really you? Shinji said eyeing the brown-haired green-eyed girl who reminded him greatly of his friend and co-pilot.

Rei sighed and looked directly at her friend and unknowing sibling.

"Yes, Shinji-kun, it is I, Rei (Then she hesitated as the realization came to her of who she really was now) Ikari. I am your sister Shinji-kun."

"Sister?" Shinji said totally confused.

Then they three sat down and after a few more comments from the irascible German girl Rei explained that she was given the chance to help when Shinji was put in danger by the machinations of the two Former SEELE members. It seemed that Lillith had not dissipated Rei's soul into herself totally and so when she sensed that Shinji was in danger she sent her avatar Rei to help. 

Then Asuka continued the earlier questioning of Rei on how she fixed Shinji's wounds and also why Asuka was used in this.

Rei now didn't seem to be as cool and collected as before, sighed and answered the flustered Redhead. "As I said before you had particles of Adam in both you and Shinji's bodies as I have what is essentially Lillith's essence in mine. I simply used my AT-field to take Lillith's essence and Adam's essence within you and Shinji and me and used you as a conduit and combined them to heal Shinji's wound as well as your own."

Asuka was floored She then felt around her arm and where there was searing pain and weakness before now there was strength and no pain whatsoever. She then looked at Rei and said almost in a whisper, "Thank you." Rei simply nodded. Then both children saw that Rei looked different now."

"But, if that's true what happened to your hair, your skin tone, and your eyes?" 

Shinji asked about Rei's changes.

Then both of them were treated to something they would have never though to have seen from Rei. She smiled a normal human smile and took one of Shinji's hands. This display of emotion even this small was totally unlike the Rei they knew.

It threw off Asuka even more. But as she was about to deliver a verbal barrage of insults she remembers that Rei called herself Shinji's sibling. She stopped herself within microseconds to listen to what Rei said next.

It took a few moments then she answered him. "My Physical change occurred because in the process of healing you, I used up all of my angelic self and so essentially I am now totally human."

"So, you are an exact clone of Shinji's Mom Yui. Is that right?" Asuka asked as she now sat behind Shinji on his bed with one arm around his back.

"No, I am I." Rei said confidently. "Yui Ikari's essence or soul was in Unit-01's core. I know you both know this to be true." As Rei looked at them, Shinji and Asuka nodded.

They knew through the events of Third Impact that their mother's souls were in their respective Eva's core.

"My body was a clone of her before Third Impact, as it is now but my essence, my soul is my own." Rei said that with a quiet determination that left no doubt. 

"Well, if that is true, then you are human, and as you are from Yui as Shinji is, then you are his sister. Wouldn't you agree?" She asked Shinji. He looked at them and as if contemplating the idea. Then he smiled, got up, and that startled Rei, who still had Shinji's hand in hers. Smiling again, Shinji gathered the now brown-haired Rei in his arms and hugged her. Rei sighed in his embrace and hugged her brother back. Tears now ran silently down Rei's face as she relished in the comfort of her brother's embrace.

Asuka who had lost her superior smirk simply stared at boy she cared for and said nothing. Though she understood the event unfolding in front of her, she planned to talk to them both later individually when they were away from the adults.

****

Investigation

Aoba and Maya investigate how and why Kiel and Langley were in The Toyko-2 Nerv Facility, and after a three way talk to settle things between the ex-pilots, all agree to make for Yokohama as they gather enough supplies for the trip.

After they got up to the Command Center, both Maya and Shigreu started to search the Nerv complex with the security system and then physically searching areas not covered by the surveillance cameras.

It took them most of the rest of the night. After Shigreu went to check on the three children, he went to gather supplies for the next few days. While keeping an electronic eye on the now sleeping children, Maya stayed at the command center to ascertain how Kiel and Langley had gotten the base's system online. 

She found in the computer records two important things. Langley was by profession an engineer. And had designed the three bases used by Nerv and before them Geherin. After the main Nerv bases were constructed around the world, the smaller bases were used for storage and as a back up for the main bases. All used the same layout and systems. All designed by Alfred Langley. That explained how the two had the knowledge to restart and operate this base, but there still wasn't anything on how Kiel knew that they were here? She'd have to talk to Shigreu about that.

Later she got Shigreu alone and discussed her concerns of how Kiel Lorenz knew where they would be. After a few moments he answered.

"You can agree with me that as Kiel was the head of SEELE, a secret organization not officially known to the world, they would have access to knowledge even we might not know." She nodded and he continued. "Ok, do you then agree with me that when we were all one in the LCL we started to share our memories especially Shinji, as he was the deciding factor to either conclude Instrumentality or not." 

Maya agreed "Yes I remember seeing many memories that were Shinji's. He really had such a hard life." Aoba simply nodded.

"Well then, wouldn't Kiel, seeing Shinji's rejection of Instrumentality, make a supreme effort to see where Shinji had gone as he left the LCL reality, probably planning out where he would logically end up." Shigreu said

"Yes, of course. And Tokyo-2 would have been the closest city where supplies could be had." Maya started to understand "We saw when we were in the LCL he was blaming himself and wanted to go back to the desolate earth to atone for what he thought he did wrong." She felt even more pity for him. "Eventually he would have gone in search of needed supplies and so he would have made his way to Tokyo-2."

Aoba added, "Exactly, I think he knew with Shinji being the deciding factor of Third Impact, He would have had to follow"

"And formulate a plan to complete it." Maya completed, nodding in the affirmative.

"Ok since we figured out how they got here, I want to talk to you about something else." He said.

"Oh, what?" She replied

"Should we stay here?" Aoba waited then for Maya's reply.

****

Where to go?

That morning Maya and Shigreu set up the Security and protection systems while they camped out in the Command Center, to try to catch up on their sleep that their incarceration had taken from them. Now that Rei was now human she stayed making the commitment to live out a human life. She felt satisfied with helping Shinji, now her brother and to have a chance to live a real life.

She slept next to her brother who had Asuka sleeping in his arms on his other side. 

Asuka wanted to talk to Shinji and Rei, but with all the talking they did throughout the night she was exhausted. She resolved to have a talk with them later after they had a good rest.

The next afternoon Maya and Shigreu had gotten up and had made some brunch for them and the children from the supplies they found on the base.

After their meal Shinji and Shigreu made their way to the surface of the empty city of Tokyo-2, and found to their relief that the snowstorm, which had trapped them at the base had ended. Shigreu then made a decision, which he would discuss with the others later.

After the women were informed this, they were happy and wanted to go back up to get more supplies, and maybe check out the local deserted mall. But that was nixed by Shigreu when he informed them that they would be leaving and heading south away from the cold weather.

All were in agreement on this.

They then sat down and planned their trip. They agreed to go to the farthest southern city to wait out whoever would come back from the LCL. They also agreed that they'd be armed and ready just in case some others from SEELE or maybe members of the Japanese defense forces might also come after them. But Maya voiced the opinion that whomever wants to come back wouldn't want to go through more hell when it will be hard enough to make a life in the desolate world they were in now.

After some more disagreement on this, the discussion was shelved until after they left Tokyo-2. But Shigreu, Maya and Asuka were armed. Asuka had training in small arms shooting.

****

Two Hearts Combine

It took about a week for all of the preparations to be made for the group of five to be ready to depart.

On the last day, Shigreu and Maya were together alone in the Command center setting up a system to monitor the base as they headed south. They had found one lone Satellite, which they could use to keep a check of the Tokyo-2 area through a Microwave link via the satellite through a laptop computer. All this was done as the three children had bedded down for the night. The week of preparation had its ups and downs mainly yelling from Asuka about what Shinji should or could have done. Rei asking many more questions about human interaction though still with her stoic delivery but they all saw a change in her facial expressions.

So, as they set up the remote monitoring system Shigreu was watching his fellow Tech as she inputted the software instructions to the Base's computer mainframe. He finally after these last harrowing days took a good look at Maya Ibuki.

Her features and her body stirred within him many feelings he'd been holding back simply because the Priority was to survive and then prosper. But he knew he had to talk to her now, as the next phase of the journey may not allow the luxury of time to do otherwise.

"Maya Can you stop for a minute. I need to talk to you." He said in his commanding yet comfortable voice. She sighed, yet her hands moved like they were in a mission from God. So in record time she finished and then moved to here Shigreu was sitting. 

"Ok What do you want Shigreu?"

He carefully put down the cup of Coffee he was sipping and then faced her with his most pleasing smile. " I wanted to ask you something and with us leaving tomorrow I don't think that we would get the time to discuss what I want to talk about."

"And what would that be Mr. Aoba?" Maya said in a playful tone. Since the Attempt by the SEELE members Maya had been with Shigreu almost every minute of every day since. 

Both knew that this was a result of the incident and Maya's unwillingness to be alone but it did bring them closer and already used to working together it made them less stressed out. But now Shigreu wanted to ask her.What?

He then got up and rolled his chair out then he knelt in front of Maya Ibuki who now was as nervous as anytime during the SEELE takeover. He took a long breath and then said

"I have admired you for these last 2 years, working with you has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. But, when you came back I was scared I couldn't help you. It almost cost us our lives " 

He was now visibly shaking which made Maya even more nervous. 'What is going on?'

"I would like to give you something so it will make it easier to get through these next couple of weeks, months, Heck even years to come." Maya was now perplexed

"I want you to know that I will give my life to protect you and with that I." He didn't finish as a slap was heard and felt by a startled Shigreu Aoba!

"You will not DIE for me." Maya said in a very high pitch.

But, But" Was all that dribbled out of Shigreu's mouth as Maya answered.

"I will not allow you to leave me like that DO you understand Aoba!" Then she burst into a cacophony of tears and hugged the confused Tech.

As she was glomped onto him he slipped a small ring on her finger. Which then got an immediate reaction as she jumped up knocking the kneeling man on sprawled his back.

"Wha..whawhat is THIS?????" Maya said in a steadily louder and higher voice.

A groggy Shigreu shook his head and then seeing a very frightened and nervous Maya Ibuki crawled to her and then got on his knee. Maya Ibuki, I don't know what the future holds for us, but I would like it to face it together. Will you do me the honor of being my wife from this day on for richer for poorer, in sic.." He didn't finish, as Maya's kiss was so passionate and explosive that his tonsils got a big work out!

After a few minutes to get some air, they both were breathing heavily.

"So, I take that as a yes?" Shigreu smiled as he was shoved down on the floor and Maya with a predatory gleam in her eye returned to their previous activity!

****

A Heart's View

As Shigreu and Maya were becoming better acquainted up in the Command Center, the three Children were quietly discussing their new relationships.

Ok, So we agree that Shinji will still sleep with me to keep me warm, and you will be his sister and NOT interfere with our . relationship? Asuka eyed the brown-haired sibling of her boyfriend Shinji Ikari. "Well Rei, is it a deal?"

"Yes, but I will reserve the right to confer and seek comfort as a sister would ask of her brother. Is that satisfactory Asuka-san?" Rei waited quietly for her answer.

"Ok Rei, define Comfort?" The German girl asked with a simmering gaze.

"When I feel sad, or confused as I'm sure I will be, I ask for that and expect Comfort. Plus if in the future you marry Shinji-kun that would make us sisters and I will ask you for advice and comfort when needed.."

The Redhead "You mean asking for advice, favors and other stuff like that right?"

"That is acceptable." Rei replied

But, if it becomes too cold I also will share bodily warmth with Shinji and you."

"WHAT?" Asuka bellowed!

"Asuka, Listen you will have to get used to the idea of Rei as my sister and as such I will be spending sometime with her, but you and I have already discussed our situation before. That does not change. Do you understand now?" 

Silently Shinji took Asuka's right hand and squeezed; she of course understood the silent signal, and nodded. "Ok, I suppose if it's that cold then it's ok, but you'll either sleep behind me or him, got it!"

Rei simply nodded again with that smile that still boggled Shinji and Asuka to no end.

****

Next Stop, Yokohama

As they depart Tokyo-2, they'll make camp at an abandoned seaside resort, where all confer on what will be their next step. Then strange visitors arrive!


	6. Talk and Travel

Disclaimers: Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc. are Property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. This is a "what if" story, so take it as a divergence from the EoE Movie. So, it is an A/U story as well.  
  
**As always, thanks go out to my pre-reader Datexan, plus some help from St.Pika! Great Job Tex & Em! Sorry it's late, I had to update a Tenchi Muyo story first but it's gonna be updated within 1-2 weeks so keep an eye out! This is a more talking chapter, more action in the next chappy!  
  
Duo Awakenings  
  
Chapter#6: Talk and Travel  
  
'= mental conversation "= vocal talking  
  
Next Stop, Yokohama  
  
It had taken nearly a week for the group of survivors to gather enough equipment and supplies to start their trip to Yokohama. They had all agreed that staying in Tokyo-2 was simply not healthy for them. Also, if Kiel Lorenz had found them there, those who wanted their revenge on them could as well . at least from the LCL reality. So they were finalizing their intinerary and supply list as they packed a crew-cab pick-up truck. They also hooked a twenty-foot trailer to have enough room for all their supplies.  
  
At this time there were some changes within the group themselves. Most prominent was the closeness of Shigreu Aoba and Maya Ibuki who seemed to be in a state of perpetual bliss which unnerved a certain redheaded German who thought all the touching, giggling, and overall lovey-doveyness was sickening. She scowled through out most of the week. Shinji seemed amused by the pair's antics, that is until his other half was present. He tried to seem indifferent, but when Asuka wasn't looking he smiled at the happiness they two adults in love radiated.  
  
Rei for all intents and purposes was in her normal stoic attitude, but this hid her real intent, the observation of the other four survivors. But some things were new to her at least now as a normal human being; she felt many stirrings of emotions she had not felt before. Especially when she observed Maya and Shigreu flirting. These emotions were new to her. They were different from the caring she felt towards Shinji. She made up her mind to talk to either Shinji or Asuka about this as soon as possible.  
  
Maya and Shigreu were simply walking and doing their work but still that warm glowing feeling permeated everything they did. There seemed to be a glow around the two when they were together. It saturated the air around them, and it did affect those around them. They kept doing little things, like Shigreu squeezing her shoulders, Maya stealing glances at him without him knowing, or Maya twirling the ring around her finger, the ring that meant so much to her. All these signified the new love the two had. Rei observed all this, as she added this to her mental list of questions she hoped Asuka or Shinji could answer.  
  
The day of departure soon came. They all took one final look at the Nerv Base for the last time, Shigreu activated the remote observation system and they all piled into the pick-up truck and started their trek to Yokohama. They had all agreed that once there, they would figure out their final destination.  
  
As they made their way out of Tokyo-2 proper there was a silence as all five occupants had thoughts of their own current predicaments.  
  
'When can I get Shigreu Alone?' Maya was thinking as Shigreu had a similar thought.  
  
Asuka, already having forgotten what Rei had told her, fumed internally as she looked at the brown haired girl sitting on the other side of her love, 'Why did SHE come back?'  
  
Rei had a different idea in her mind, 'How can I be more. human?'  
  
While Shinji simply fretted, as he knew already what might be coming. 'Why do I always end up between them? I like Ayanami. but with Asuka's jealousy and her temper, it will be that much harder to help her.' He knew Rei came back for him, but also he knew she would need him and Asuka after some coaxing, to live her life as she was meant to be. 'Oh boy do I have my job cut out for me.' He simply hung his head and shook it in defeat then mumbles "Why me?"  
  
Shinji came to his senses as he felt both girls tense on either side of him at his slip of the tongue. He tried to recover by saying "He, he, nice weather we're having." before the realization hit him that it was raining outside of the pick-up truck they were riding. Shinji chuckled while holding the back of his head, to no avail as the stoic glare of Rei, and the fiery one by Asuka silenced him for the rest of the ride to Yokohama.  
  
Girl Talk  
  
The group of survivors arrived on the outskirts of Yokohama. They felt better to be out of the Tokyo area, but still being on Tokyo bay made them very tense. Deciding on an out of the way motel the group picked two rooms with a connecting door. Though it did afford some modicum of privacy it did allow the adults to be separate from the children, although with the door open between the rooms they could hear each other.  
  
After settling in, Maya and Asuka brought out a portable stovetop and began to cook dinner as Shinji, and Shigreu went out to scout the area and check their route around the city. They had talked, as they were unpacking and decided to head for Kyushu, and lay low in Kagoshima. They figured, as it was likely that whoever comes there will come by either sea or overland. The location of that city made it easy to see all the roads running into it, as well as any ships entering the bay as it was surrounded by land, with mountain look outs above.  
  
As the boys were away, Maya went to her room to make contact with the portable satellite link back to Tokyo-2, leaving Rei and Asuka alone in the same room together.  
  
As Asuka was cooking her part of the dinner Rei sat on one of the beds silently observing her. Asuka was quite aware at the eyes boring on her back and was getting more and more irritated. With a hrumph, she turned and addressed the brown-haired girl. "All right, what do you want, Wondergirl?"  
  
Rei had a concerned look on her face. Then as she saw the German girl start to seethe, she spoke up. "I am observing your cooking skills so I can adequately do the same when I am called upon to."  
  
"Who said anyone would want you to cook. Oh, I forgot you'll do anything you're told, since you're a doll." She said with a snide look.  
  
Rei seemed unaffected as she then asked, "Is that why you cook so that you aren't like a doll, as you seem to think I am?" she said straight-faced.  
  
Asuka who had a spatula in her hand raised it and started toward Rei. "Why you little.!"  
  
"ASUKA, STOP!" Maya Ibuki was at the door separating the rooms.  
  
"What are you two doing?" she looked from one girl to the other trying to understand what had sparked this argument and then it hit her. 'Shinji!'  
  
"Ok, Asuka sit there, Rei stay on that bed, I'll finish this dinner then we will talk, got it!"  
  
None of the girls spoke, seemingly ignoring her. Maya then gave them a stern look. "AM I CLEAR?"  
  
Each girl looked startled at the severity of the tone Maya had said the word and simply nodded quietly. "Good!"  
  
Later after Maya finished preparing dinner she then pulled up a chair and sat down facing the girls who were still sitting on the bed. She knew they had to fix this problem between Rei and Asuka before the boys got back. So she started the conversation.  
  
"Ok, I have been observing both of you," Rei raised an eyebrow while Asuka had a surprised look. "And the main problem here between you is simply put . Shinji!"  
  
Asuka let out a string of Japanese and German obscenities while Rei looked puzzled yet a little embarrassed. Asuka didn't want Rei to know she had come to an understanding with Shinji, but yet didn't want her near him. Rei knew there was something between the two ex-pilots, as she had seen them kiss several times. But, she also knew the stubbornness of the red headed German girl in admitting anything openly.  
  
Maya looked at both of the girls then sighed. 'This is going to take a while,' she thought then looked back at the two of them. "Am I right?" She asked them a little more sternly.  
  
"Well, you know Shinji and I were getting along till little Miss No personality showed up!" She waved her hand at Rei.  
  
Snickering, Maya remembered what had happened back in Tokyo-3, and how she and Aoba had interrupted Shinji and Asuka kissing on a number of occasions. A withering glare from Asuka reminded her of the problem at hand. Collecting herself she looked to Rei.  
  
"I came back, because Shinji-kun was in danger, and if those SEELE members had succeeded, all of you," she gazed poignantly at Asuka, "would have returned to LCL and Instrumentality would have been complete." Rei seemed to have purposely let those last words hang in the air.  
  
That shook Asuka, Rei had come back for Shinji . and them as well. Maybe Rei wasn't all that bad, but she'd reserve judgement till later. But as for the present, she looked at Rei intently. "So, you came back for Shinji, and we were just lucky to be helped by you?" Asuka wanted a clearer explanation.  
  
"I. came back for Shinji, but I also wanted to experience what it is to be . human. I cannot experience that with only one other person. So, I came for you as well." Rei then stared down at her hands, as she tried to hear what the other two girls were saying.  
  
"So . so you wanted to help all of us?" Maya asked  
  
"And, myself. I had heard Shinji's mother say that Shinji wanted to allow everyone to come back if they so choose. But I as apart of Lillith could not."  
  
"Is that why you didn't come back when we did . because you couldn't?" Asuka asked though she was not interested in Rei's explanation.  
  
Rei simply nodded. "I was a part of Lillith, but my experiences, my . feelings seemed to have gained her attention. So when this opportunity became available, I as a part of Lillith expressed my longing to return, and she granted me that. She knew what Shinji wanted, so I was recomposed and came back as you saw me." She turned to Asuka her now green piercing eyes meeting the deep blue eyes of the fiery German.  
  
Asuka then asked Maya to leave. When Maya asked why, Asuka said it was something . private. Maya shrugged looked at Rei who nodded and she wen back to her room, shutting the door while saying a silent prayer that they would not kill each other.  
  
Asuka then got up and sat next to Rei on the bed. She cleared her throat to get the stoic child's attention then said, "Look Ayanami, Shinji, and I have . an arrangement and simply put he's now my boyfriend. You do know what that means?"  
  
Asuka looked at Rei and after a few tense moments Rei nodded.  
  
"Souryu, I do not seek that type of relationship with Shinji-kun, as I am his half-sister, so it is more of a familial kind of relationship"  
  
It seemed as thought a light appeared in front of Asuka as she remembered what Rei had told them after she had appeared. "Wait, oh that's' right, you're his . sister. So how are you Shinji's sister really?" Asuka stared at Rei as she waited for an explanation.  
  
"Before Third Impact my connection to him was a classified secret as was the fact that I am a clone of his mother Yui Ikari, so I would consider myself his sister, in that light."  
  
"Well .yeah I can see that. Wait, you're a clone, ok. Let me ask you something? Who raised you"?  
  
"Dr. Akagi, and the Commander." Rei replied.  
  
"Huh, no wonder you acted the way you did. Being raised by those two would warp your sense of self and what's important in life"  
  
"I had nothing to look forward to but to serve Eva and to be the key to Instrumentality."  
  
"Well you'll have any goal you want and no one will make the decision for you." Asuka added.  
  
"I hope to discuss this with you and Shinji-kun." Rei asked.  
  
"As long as you have no intentions to be with Shinji?" Asuka said as a last confirmation of her fears of Rei's relationship with her love.  
  
"To be with Shinji? Explain?" Rei asked in a confused state.  
  
"Oh boy don't you know what "To be with" means?" Rei shook her head. "Ok, to be with someone is to have relations with them physically, you know make whoopee!"  
  
"To make love, have sex, do the deed, is that the right terms?" Rei said quite innocently to a now red-faced Asuka.  
  
"Yeah, yeah all that, you aren't doing that with Shinji, right?"  
  
"I cannot morally have sexual relations with my brother Souryu, so do not worry. I will however peruse a sibling relationship with him. Is that acceptable to you?"  
  
"Yeah, that's fine with me, just don't act like such a doll. be more sociable and I can stand to be around you." Asuka was relieved in one way, but then not in another as she knew she'd have to deal with Rei for the rest of her life, as she is now Shinji's sister. Grudgingly, she also decided to help Rei become more human. But what she didn't know was that Rei wanted to know things right away.  
  
"Good, I have many questions to ask you and Shinji-kun on that very subject."  
  
Asuka sighs, as she now knows she'll have to deal with Rei already. "Can we wait till after dinner so the love birds won't disturb us?" Asuka asks.  
  
"That is acceptable" and with that they made their way to the door to let Maya back in and set up the tables in the rooms for dinner.  
  
Feelings Expressed  
  
The Boys got back within a half-hour and they all had a nice dinner of canned veggies and canned ham, plus some ramen. Afterwards came the sleeping arrangements. It was obvious that Maya and Shigreu would take one room, which by coincidence had a queen sized bed. While the other room had two twin sized beds. While the three sat together in the trip out from Tokyo-2, who would sleep where had yet to be figured out. After a short discussion an embarrassed Shinji and red-faced Asuka made it clear that they would share a bed.  
  
Though Rei seemed not to have a reaction and did take the other, she felt a bit .angry. But in her monotone voice, she asked that Shinji sleep in the side facing her. Though Asuka seemed peeved by the request, Shinji felt better about it. At least with him there, sleeping between the girls there should be no problems.  
  
But as they got ready for bed with each having taken a bath. The three children had a conversation on Human interaction, which took an hour just to explain the differences between friendships and more intimate relationships.  
  
Then Asuka told Rei that they would discuss this tomorrow. Asuka then took Shinji by the arm, and stated they were going to sit at a nearby park, to talk. They told Maya and Shigreu who handed each of them a sidearm each to protect themselves just in case.  
  
Asuka and Shinji made their way, walking across the street to a bench where they could be seen clearly by Rei's open window. Shigreu asked her to keep and eye on then, and shout an alarm if they were attacked.  
  
Though Asuka knew of this, she wasn't too comfortable about it. What if Rei could read lips? So, she had Shinji help her turn the bench around, as it wasn't bolted to the ground. She looked up to see if Rei reacted, but the brown-haired girl seemed to be reading a book seemingly not reacting to Asuka's move. She sighed and then sat down patting the spot next to her on the bench. Shinji got the hint and sat down. Asuka then quietly reached out and took his hand in hers on the bench.  
  
Shinji looked at his hands in Asuka and gulped. Then he drifted his gaze up to those deep blue eyes of his girlfriend. What surprised him was the kind smile she had on her face. And the gentleness of her eyes nearly made him faint. He sat there admiring her when Asuka spoke.  
  
"Shinji, I wanted to talk to you privately because I think we have a few things to clear up. Do you understand that?" Shinji simply nodded a smile on his face. "What do you think of Maya and Shigreu's engagement?" She looked anxiously at him.  
  
Shinji, for his part, was shaken out of his stupor by the question. Taking a few moments, he thought out an answer. "Well, I am happy for them Asuka. They have made a decision on how they feel for each other and being adults they can do this. I just wished I had their courage."  
  
"Baka, why do you say that? You stood in front of me taking bullets that would have killed me and you say they have courage?" She squeezed his hand trying to convey her feelings.  
  
"Asuka, I may have courage in being able to save you life, but I don't think I have it when it comes to being an emotional support for you. Don't get me wrong. I've enjoyed holding you at night, having your warmth near me, listening to you breath as your sleep. I wouldn't give that up." He took both her hands, "But, I'm not worthy of you . I will be here for you for as long as you want me." He smiled and held her hands tightly.  
  
Asuka's emotions were a jumble trying to understand what Shinji was saying. 'He's saying he isn't good enough for me, Damn Baka, how can he think that?' Even as she thought that, she remembered all the things she had said to him berating him, putting him down, even . telling him that she . hated . him. 'Oh god what have I done?' She then looked up to his teary face as she was quietly tearing up herself, showing her emotions as well.  
  
She then did something, which blew him away. Getting up, while still holding his hands, she knelt down in front of him. He started to shiver nervously. Now crying as well, Asuka smiled at him, and then simply said, "I apologize to you Shinji Ikari, for all the things I have said to you which have hurt you. I'm sorry for continuing to put you down, even now, but I have no other way to . tell you how . I . feel." She hiccuped, as she continued. "I have been caring for you since the 8th Angel . but as things got worse I couldn't tell you how I felt, and you being who you are. it was easier to berate you than you actually tell you . how I . felt."  
  
She was now crying hard and Shinji gathered her in his arms patting her on the back telling her it was all right. But she continued though each sentence was between hiccups and crying. "I don't just care for you my Baka," She smiled though still crying and put a hand on his cheek.  
  
"I love you!" She then buried her face on his shoulder crying even more.  
  
He heard this, though it seemed to not register for a few seconds. Then he pulled her off his shoulder, which was thoroughly soaked.  
  
"You .you, love . me?" Shinji was stunned. He had never thought that Asuka really did care for him. All through their year together and even in Third Impact, she treated him like crap. But afterwards, when they all came back, she was much more tolerant of his mistakes and even praising on other things he did. The snuggling they did had already somewhat put the notion of her caring for him in his head. But he had dismissed it as an affect of their situation. He being the one male available who she could gain comfort from. He really didn't believe that her attention was that intense, though he suddenly could not think anymore, as a wet salted kiss was what greeted his mouth. It was kept there as two shaking hands were then placed on either side of his head steadying him as she continued to kiss him deeply. It took a few more moments until he returned the kiss back and held her tightly in his arms.  
  
After a few more minutes they simply relished the feel of each other's arms around them. Asuka then said it again, hoping she would get a positive reply. "Shinji, I love you!"  
  
"Asuka, I love you too, even though I'm still not.!" Asuka put her finger on his lips.  
  
"Do you want to argue with me? Hmmm Shinji, well do you?" Shinji shook his head vigorously! "Good, then let me say this, we are worthy of each other. Because other than Rei, no one understands what we've gone through. So, understand this, I want you to be with me till we're both dead, got it!"  
  
Shinji then nodded vigorously, before continuing their kissing session, at least until they saw Rei, waving them in. They had sat on that bench for over 3 hours, so they got up arm-in-arm and headed for their room, where a stoic girl was holding a door open for them. After they walked past her, a slight smile passed over her lips as she closed that room's door.  
  
Journey through Honshu A plan is made to travel the length of Honshu towards Kyushu and Kagoshima.  
  
The group meets another person with some unusual help! 


	7. Stay in Nagoya

Disclaimers: Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc. are Property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. This is a "what if" story, so take it as a divergence from the EoE Movie. So, it is an A/U story as well.  
  
**As always, thanks go out to my pre-readers, A.Amishi, Datexan, plus some help from St.Pika! Great Job A, Tex & Em! I will be updating this in sequence as I'm now concentrating on my three Eva stories to hopefully finish them by Christmas! This is a more character development chapter, more action in the next chappy!  
  
Duo Awakenings  
  
Chapter#7: Stay in Nagoya A plan is made to travel the length of Honshu, eventually Kyushu Island and Kagoshima. The group meets with another person emerging from the LCL . with some unusual help!  
  
Arriving in Nagoya  
  
The ex-Nerv survivors took the coastal road from the outskirts of Yokohama to Nagoya, which on a normal day would have been a 4-hour trip by car. But now with the stalled cars on the roads and the approach of an unusual cold snap, it took two days to cover the same distance which meant having to spend a night inside the cab of the pick-up truck.  
  
Though the pick-up truck had a larger than average cab, it was still quite cramped for five people. Because of the weather, they were forced to say in the cab almost all of the time. They even had to sleep in it. Shigreu and Maya slept on the front bench seat in a spooned position, unaware of the former Third Child's discomfort in the back seat. A suffering Shinji, in his discomfort was the last one asleep that night as he felt like a human sandwich. On the back seat, he was sandwiched between Rei and Asuka, with the girls using him as a pillow, much to the young man's embarrassment.  
  
The group made it to Nagoya the next day, and they decided that sleeping in a cramped pick-up truck's king cab was not going to continue, so the group quickly decided on staying in a motel. They found a Japanese style one called the Lines Hotel Miyoshi near the main Transit station in the city center of Nagoya. The rooms were traditionally big as they were shared rooms, so they all slept together in one of these rooms that night. It was decided that they would stay a few more days to re-supply and to find a parts center for their truck. Adding a plow to the front would make traveling the cluttered highways easier.  
  
The rest of the time though allowed them to explore the area around the hotel, which they did happily. Rei stayed within a block of the hotel as the others searched for supplies that would help them on their trip. As the day passed and several trips were done, it seemed that Asuka and Maya had added some new clothes from the abandoned stores in the area. As the shopping spree was going on, Shigreu and Shinji went to the Toyota factory located a few miles north and found the parts they needed to modify the truck. They were only a few miles away at a warehouse near the port area of the city, south of the hotel.  
  
When the two found the shovel kit near the western edge of the port, they also found another traditional hotel nearby where Shigreu and Shinji decided they would move the group to the next day.  
  
The next day they set themselves up in their new hotel quarters as the men took on the job of installing the shovel kit onto the front of their truck. While they did that, Maya reconnected to the portable satellite link back to Tokyo-2. She learned that a few more people had in fact reappeared within the Tokyo-2 area, and more in most of the major cities of Japan. With her knowledge, Maya had easily calibrated the satellite's censors to detect the emergence of a human AT-Field from the LCL. Then she got a surprise as the satellite right above them detected a person emerging from the LCL Sea. Whoever this was, was detected not too far away from them.  
  
"Shigreu, Shinji, Asuka, Rei, come here quick!" Maya shouted out the window of the room they were staying in. The quartet dropped what they were doing and rushed up to the second level room they shared.  
  
"What . what's the matter Maya-chan?" asked an out of breath Shigreu when he reached her; the others were right behind him.  
  
"The satellite's picked up a person emerging from the LCL close to our location." Maya exclaimed.  
  
"Where is the individual located, Maya-san?" Rei asked  
  
"100 meters down the port wall from us. that way!" Maya pointed out the window towards a pier jutting out near the warehouse where the truck equipment was stored. Without a minute to spare, Shinji, Shigreu, Asuka, and Rei all rushed for the pier to try to help whomever the person was. While they did that Maya shut down her link and got the First-Aid supplies ready.  
  
It took only a few minutes for the group to find the individual, who was spotted first by Rei.  
  
As they neared the new arrival, he seemed to be unconscious. They guessed it was a he as the person looked like a teenage boy. He wore a multi- colored jumpsuit, gloves, and helmet that a person, who raced a vehicle like a car or motorcycle, would wear. The boy's jumpsuit was a blue and white on red. The full body suit was covered with advertisements for off- road bikes and equipment. Shinji figured out that he was a BMX bike racer. He remembered a time when Touji had shown him some BMX magazines showing these riders on of all things Bicycles making amazing jumps in the air and terrifying runs down steep hills. "He's a BMXer. A guy who rides Bikes in off road races." They all nodded in understanding, though Shinji had a forlorned look, as he wondered what fate Touji had now.  
  
As they neared him, he was unconscious as they checked him for any abnormalities and then all four helped pick him up and they took him back to the hotel room where they were staying. They knew Maya would be ready with any basic medical help the boy would need. As they carried him he kept mumbling something. Rei was the first to catch it. He was mumbling a name . "Skuld. Skuld where are you?"  
  
A survivor . found  
  
Sentaro Kawanishi was in a place that didn't feel real. More like a dream world where he was racing through the most gnarly gravity defying terrain doing jumps and wheelie's and even loop de loops with his BMX bike. To put it mildly, he was happy, very happy to finally being able to do what he loved doing, biking off road, and doing the most amazing things with a bike. The Biker knew his friend, the girl who was watching his every move with keen interest, well more than a friend, Skuld (Goddess 2nd class Unlimited) sat a bit off watching him do his almost impossible tricks with his bike. She smiled, yet he saw a single tear slowly make its way down her young and pure face. Skuld wiped her face and waited for Sentaro to finish his latest run. She called the high-flying Sentaro over to where she was sitting.  
  
Having just completed some very complex aerial moves with his bike, he set it down a few feet from her and smiled as he walked towards her. 'God, is it me, or is she becoming more beautiful by the minute,' Sentaro thought. Skuld sighed as she could read his thoughts easily in this place. He saw a fleeting look of anguish . that was gone just as suddenly as it had arrived.  
  
Her smile returned as she stood up to greet him. She commented, to him, "You are getting better Sen-chan." He just smiled that shy smile of his and then she gave . a brilliant smile back, then Skuld did something that floored his soul and whatever else he had thought of as normal. Skuld hugged him and with teary eyes looked up at his now startled face. Sentaro froze as she kissed him lightly on the lips still crying tears of anguish. After a few moments, they broke the kiss and he rubbed the tears off her pretty face with his thumbs trying to calm her down. But, after a few moments it was obvious that she was upset about something far more important. Skuld looked at him intensely then with a deep sigh she said, "By Kami- sama's order you Sentaro Kawanishi have been given a new lease on a human life." She croaked out the next sentence. "I wish you, my friend . my love, a good life." Then, as he started to vanish he reached out with a now transparent hand phasing through her saying, "Skuld-chan . why?" His eyes pleading as they and the rest of him vanished. His final coherent look was of a beautiful teary-eyed face crying out his name, her arms outstretched and reaching out to his fading form.  
  
Sentaro Kawanishi then felt nothing, just a stillness and in an utter black void.  
  
Skuld collapsed on the floor and wept loud, wrenching wails of sorrow, her soulmate was gone, her love was now going back to a desolate Earth . without her. She shouted, "SENTARO!"  
  
Then like hitting a brick wall with his bike at 50 miles and hour Sentaro Kawanishi was startled awake in an unfamiliar room, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. He looked around to see where he was and it looked like a traditional Japanese hostel's communal room. He then saw a girl next to him, with short brown hair and the deepest greenest eyes he had ever seen. Those eyes it seemed to him almost sucked him in. For a second another face superimposed on the first with black hair framing a bright complexion and large brown inquisitive eyes overlapped the green. As the teenaged boy groggily looked at this composite girl in front of him, a voice slowly gained his attention.  
  
"Are you all right?" the composite faded to just one as he dully stared at her. He finally nodded and the brown haired girl silently got up and went to the door of the room. She then quietly talked to someone outside of the room's sliding door then she shut it and returned to his side.  
  
Sentaro looks at her again and finally is able to speak. "Miss, where am I, and who are you?"  
  
"You are in the port area of Nagoya, I am Rei Ikari." She answered succinctly and steadily.  
  
"I'm Sentaro . Sentaro Kawanishi. Where am I?" Sentaro asked  
  
"As I said earlier, in Nagoya. I assume as you returned from the LCL Sea for a purpose." Rei replied.  
  
"Wait return from what? What is LCL?" Sentaro was getting apprehensive. Rei then went into a few minutes explanation of what LCL was, and how people's souls now existed within it. Sentaro then raised his hand to stop her explanation and asked, "Ok I understand that . I think. But I want to know how I can get back to my friends at Nekomi Tech."  
  
"Nekomi Tech? An Institute? I am unfamiliar with that one. Many Schools in coastal cities were submerged under the water by sometimes as much as 60 feet due to the cataclysms of Second Impact." The answer seemed to stun the boy into silence. As he now sat up quietly, and he didn't answer, Rei stoically sat waiting for him to answer, it soon came rather loudly.  
  
"Second Impact! I don't understand?" said the now bewildered boy. He was now confused and a bit scared. Rei seeing this, then gave a condensed version of the events leading up to Second Impact, the various conflicts and riots that followed, and concluded with an abbreviated explanation of the Angel Wars and the thwarting of the Third Impact. This was becoming too much for the boy.  
  
Sentaro looked stunned. "So .so the world that I knew ."  
  
".is gone. We are some of the last survivors that are left on Earth." Rei replied, though with a slight hesitancy as though she realized the actual predicament they all now shared.  
  
"You mean you and me are the only ones." He asked. She shook her head.  
  
"My brother and three others are with us." She replied emotionlessly.  
  
"So where are they, why aren't they here?" He wanted to see who these people were and what they were doing. Sentaro was thinking, 'Maybe she' not telling me the truth. But why would she? Maybe she's a stalker, like that book from Steven King, Oh, man I have to stop reading those American horror stories.' He was starting to disbelieve her story.  
  
"They are scavenging for food supplies and parts to repair our vehicle. I volunteered to take care of you until they return." Rei was becoming annoyed with this boy, yet it seemed a minor annoyance, not something, which would normally bother Rei. But Rei was human now.  
  
"Then who did you talk to a little while ago?" Sentaro was becoming more and more annoyed himself with the girls' vague answers and her tone of voice.  
  
"Maya-san, she is in charge of our communications and first aid. She was the one who treated you when we had found you." Rei answered in her monotone voice, yet it seemed a slight quiver was now there. Was this boy affecting her somehow? He was still in his racing suit and it left as little to the imagination as her plug-suit. She glanced at him several more times. Strange ideas appeared in her head when Sentaro startled her out of her thoughts.  
  
"So you're a military unit?" 'Oh, great' thought Sentaro, 'I'm in a real life Blue Gender like world, except the Blue are already gone, leaving just the utter devastation!'  
  
"No, we were a part of an organization called Nerv which was a part of the UN that fought the Angels I had mentioned previously." Rei saw his face becoming more rigid. She was not amused. Rei now knew he did not believe her.  
  
"Ok, your group was a part of Nerv. So were is the rest of the population?" He was now clearly frustrated and becoming more so.  
  
"Still in the LCL." There she said it, clear and to the point. Now she would observe how he reacts.  
  
He simply didn't believe her. "Well, you can understand I'm having a hard time believing this? I mean for all I know you're a crazed obsessed BMX fan of mine trying to kidnap."  
  
Rei held her hand up to stop his comment. "Why would I be a fan of yours? I have never met you until this morning when you emerged from the LCL. Nor am I a "fan" of this BMX sport you are talking about." Nope Rei was not amused at all. This boy was aggravating.  
  
"Now see here, I don't even know what this LCL is!" 'Who the heck does this chick think she is?' Sentaro thought angrily, maybe she is a stalker!  
  
"Did I not explain that to you? Are you sure you are coherent?" Now Rei, the normally stoic emotionless girl was . miffed. And it showed there was a more stern tone to her speech. 'This boy is . a pain, no he doesn't believe me. He was from a time where the Evangelions and cloning humans is still not a reality.' Rei was jolted from her thoughts by Sentaro's next statement.  
  
"I'm just fine, thank you, now if you don't mind I'll just be on my way." Sentaro gets up and walks out of the room leaving a perturbed Rei. He goes by a closed room on his way down the hall. It is obvious that they are on an upper floor of the hotel as he turns the corner to see a picture window on one side of the hallway. There he has an expansive view of Nagoya proper. At first he sees a few buildings he recognized from ads on TV and his early childhood. But then he realizes something. Streets with no traffic in them, except now clearly abandoned cars and trucks. Papers of varying types and sizes strung all over the streets as if not being touched for days possibly even weeks. Then he got a chill down his spine, as he noticed that there were no people walking the sidewalks, just some funny looking stains on the concrete and loose clothing everywhere. It was obvious now that the city was now a huge ghost town.  
  
Somehow he knew Rei was now standing next to him. He didn't glance towards her instead he speaks, "Where . where are all the people?" A hesitant Sentaro turns towards Rei who was looking out the window as well.  
  
"Do you desire more proof?" She looked at him with a stern stare. He nodded and she led him down the stairs nearby to the ground floor of the hotel. They then turned towards the pier opposite the hotel and she leads him onto it. They end up at the edge of the pier and she points out the slick red ribbon of sea below. Then she points up to a thin ribbon of red right above their heads hanging there in the sky from horizon to horizon. "That is LCL, the essence of all souls without a body to hold it." She could have gone into more detail. But she knew Sentaro wouldn't have understood.  
  
Sentaro simply stares for a few minutes, frozen, slowly digesting all that Rei had told him before. Then it occurs to him. 'The people. are gone, well at least in the physical sense.' Sentaro said to himself. Then he noticed that some of the cars looked different that the ones he was used to. Playing a hunch Sentaro asks, "Ikari-san what year is it?"  
  
"It is the year 2015. Why do you ask?" This caught Rei's attention.  
  
Sentaro looked down on his now clasped hands, wondering aloud. "Ikari-san, my last memories were . in the year 2000."  
  
Rei raised one of her eyebrows. "Your last memories are of the past?" 'That would mean he's not one of those who died during Third Impact, he died . during the Second Impact!' Rei was surprised and now very curious.  
  
Sentaro grabbed his head his fingers pulling at his hair. "Oh Gods, this has to be a bad dream, a nightmare, it just has to be." Sentaro slides down the wood of the side of the pier and continues to mumble to himself as he now sits on the pier's floor ignoring Rei standing next to him. She looks down at him and is puzzled at the actions of the boy.  
  
Rei remembers that some people go into shock when they cannot accept the reality of their situation. Being fifteen years ahead of where he had been was traumatic. Rei then decides to bring him out of his shock. She kneels and puts her hands on Sentaro's shoulders shaking them and saying, " Kawanishi-san Please look at me . look at me."(Said more forcefully this time) Finally after a few more shakes from Rei, Sentaro does just as she said, and a now concerned face greeted his gaze. The he sees those intense green eyes again and zones out for a few moments, thinking again of those soulful brown eyes in his memories. Further shaking of his shoulders eventually brings him out of his stupor.  
  
"Oh Rei-san, I spaced out a bit there, sorry." She ignored the more intimate use of her name and stopped shaking the youth, though she leaves her hands on his shoulders.  
  
"You were overwhelmed by our current situation, it was . understandable." He finally shakes his head trying to vanquish the cobwebs of confusion out of his mind.  
  
Rei turns to face Sentaro. She points to the truck. "That is my brother Shinji Ikari." The truck stops and Rei introduces Shigreu and Shinji to a bewildered Sentaro. After that they all make their way towards the front of the hotel  
  
A Heavenly Conversation  
  
Asuka returned a short while later with some more supplies, mainly clothing for Sentaro. They then walked back into the hotel not only to inform Sentaro of his and their situation, but also to figure out if he knew why he, a person dead since the Second Impact, had been revived fifteen years later.  
  
Sentaro himself seemed to feel he was somewhere during that fifteen-year time gap but had no knowledge of it. Maya then asked, "Where do you come from?"  
  
"I lived near Nekomi Tech." Sentaro answered quietly.  
  
"You do know that University's underwater now, since the Second Impact." Shigreu added.  
  
Sentaro remembered his previous conversation with Rei. She looked back at him with a small look of concern. He simply sighed. "Then everybody's gone. Yet . I remember a girl who was with me . even after I .died."  
  
"Wait, you remember after you died? But that's . impossible." Asuka stated in disbelief.  
  
"And you don't know who she was or where you were?" Shinji asked. Sentaro shook his head no and sat silently. Well we can discuss this later I am hungry now. Can we get some lunch ready love?" Shigreu asked the woman whose hand he held in his. Maya simply nodded and motioned for the group to follow her to have some lunch.  
  
"Ok how's Chicken Teriyaki sound to you all? Asked Maya to which they all nodded.  
  
So they retired for lunch and set up Sentaro with food and provisions. They made it clear to him where they were going and after a few minutes of thinking; Sentaro's asked to join them, but he had only one request; to stop near where Nekomi Tech was or rather, used to be located. He wanted to see what was left, and for himself to say his good byes to those who were now gone.  
  
Sentaro was still perplexed as to why he came back and, after a later conversation with the group, thought to himself, 'why did all things in this world go so wrong.'  
  
As this occupied the mind of the newest group member, the one who he awoke to was also perplexed. Rei Ikari had been having what could be called premonitions about going to sleep. The thought of something-important happening in her sleep seemed to unnerve the normally levelheaded girl.  
  
As she was finishing her dinner, a vision of a girl maybe a few years younger than her with a mallet smashing what looked like six legged rabbits perplexed her. She shook her head as Sentaro had done before. Then she saw Sentaro himself riding a small bicycle through an off road course, making turns and leaps she hadn't seen before. Then they vanished as she found herself walking toward the others. Rei was confused.  
  
These thoughts occupied Rei as the group of six had gathered on the hotel's balcony with a view of the quiet city. Shigreu had his arm around Maya's shoulder, with her leaning towards him. Asuka and Shinji were also next to each other, though shoulder to shoulder with their hands entwined. Rei stood next to Shinji, while Sentaro was on the other side of the group, next to Maya.  
  
As Asuka kissed Shinji and left to get their bed ready, Shinji noticed the odd look on Rei's face and asked her, "Rei what's wrong, you seem distracted."  
  
She looked at her brother's concerned face and replied, "I seem to have a premonition that something important will happen while I sleep tonight. Is that a normal occurrence brother?"  
  
Scratching his head Shinji said, "No, not really but I wouldn't worry too much over it Rei. You will be with us in the hotel room so I don't see any harm coming from a."  
  
"No, Shinji-kun, I don't feel threatened . just uneasy at what might occur." Rei's stated.  
  
"So you're not afraid, just uneasy?" He asked as she nodded. "Well I have felt that way many times, and I tried to fight going to sleep."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I fell asleep anyway, but nothing bad happened." Shinji sounded rather sheepish about admitting it and Rei found solace in his trust in admitting it.  
  
"Tell you what, you sleep next to me and Asuka, and if you want to talk about it then wake us up. I'm sure we can help you sort it out." Shinji smiled at her, placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it.  
  
Rei nodded once. "All right, brother I will not worry." Shinji smiled and patted his shoulder affectionately, and then they both headed to bed.  
  
That night, in the common room, the couples were sleeping together as Rei and Sentaro were sleeping near each couple. Sentaro near Maya and Shigreu, while Rei slept next to Shinji, who had Asuka in his arms. As they all slept a certain Goddess made herself known to a former Angel in her mind and thoughts.  
  
So as Rei Ikari dreamed,  
  
So as Rei Ikari dreamed, she found herself in of all things a Buddhist shrine. With some living quarters right next to it. It seemed well kept but without anyone there. From what she knew, all shrines have at least a caretaker who either lives on the shrine grounds or lives nearby. As she walked the grounds of the shrine she made her way towards the house. She searched it and found it equally abandoned. She was making her way out of the home when a voice to the right called her.  
  
"Rei Ayanami, I want to talk to you." The feminine voice said within Rei's dream.  
  
"Who are you?" Asked the former Eva pilot. She saw in front of her the same girl in her vision, but now seemingly her age. She was sitting on the porch of the home facing the shrine. She motioned for Rei to come and sit beside her. Rei thought for a minute then made her way to the porch.  
  
"My name is Skuld Goddess 2nd class Unlimited; you were Rei Ayanami, now Rei Ikari."  
  
Rei was a bit disturbed. How can this entity, this vision know about her? "A Goddess? Are you related to the Angels that attacked Tokyo-3?" Rei asked the now visibly teenage looking Goddess in her dream world.  
  
"No, they are separate from us, but they were created by Kami-sama for their predestined purpose." Skuld then smiled warmly at Rei. "Even you and your previous life was predestined Rei Ayanami." The Black haired Goddess stated with a rye smile on her face.  
  
Rei had a darkened look as she said more sternly, "I am human now, I am Rei Ikari." She looked down for a few moments then looked back up to the other girl. She then realized something, "Was that also predestined?" The former half-Angel asked the heavenly entity.  
  
The Goddess had a more inquisitive looked on her face. "That was a decision made due to your brother's wish for you. He wanted you to be given the chance to live a human life. Kami-sama simply chose to grant that wish, as was his prerogative to do so." The Goddess gave Rei a warm gaze.  
  
Rei nodded. "What is it you want of me?"  
  
Skuld realized Rei wasn't interested in small talk. "Sentaro Kawanishi is now with you, is that right?" Rei flashed a concerned look on her face but went back to her emotionless mask almost instantly. But . Skuld caught it.  
  
"Yes, he emerged from the LCL next to the pier wall earlier in the day." Rei waited intently for Skuld's answer  
  
Skuld then looked down to her now clasp hands and Rei noticed a slight hesitation in the body language of the Goddess. It was confirmed by the slightly anguished look the Goddess had on her face. "Sentaro, was my friend. He and I lived near Nekomi Tech and he died when the seas and earthquakes hit the region during Second Impact, 15 years ago." She then hesitated again. "He . died in my arms." Rei noticed two tears make their way down Skuld's face travelling over the marks on her cheeks and dropping to her glowing garments gathered now on her lap. "H . he . had been with me in Limbo these last 15 years which he now has no memory of."  
  
Rei sympathized and nodded at their Goddesses anguish. But she wanted more information. She finally had something she wanted answers for, plus it got the subject changed, which she thought would calm the Goddess. "What is Limbo?" Rei asked. 'Was what she had been told of heaven and hell wrong?' Then she remembered Commander Ikari told her 'That was of no consequence.' Another lie from her former father figure. She put these thoughts aside as she listened for Skuld's answer. Skuld though read her thoughts and also put those thoughts away for a later conversation. This was a very unique girl. She then returned with her answer.  
  
"It is a place where a soul, a spirit waits to either ascend to what you call heaven, or descend to the other place called hell." Skuld saw Rei's eyes widened slightly in surprise.  
  
'A place of waiting until you go to either heaven or hell. I'll have to talk to Shinji about this.' Rei thought. She then asked, "But . why was Sentaro . Kawanishi-kun returned back here to Earth?" Rei was now curious at the reasons behind Sentaro's rebirth. Skuld caught the gaff, but continued on.  
  
"That was due to the fact that he was not supposed to have died when he did." Skuld answered now in more control of herself. Still, she remembered arguing with her father, the Kami-sama who also knew of his daughter's feelings for this boy, but even after a heated discussion, Skuld could not change his mind. She had broke down and cried then as she was losing her soulmate. But she didn't dare allow Rei to know that. So she put her memories away and continued her discussion.  
  
"A mistake?" Rei said  
  
"An error, in our system." Skuld replied, she sighed, then continued. "That same system deemed him eligible for Reintroduction."  
  
"So that is why he appeared from the LCL." Rei nodded now understanding the situation.  
  
"It was a convenient way to reintroduce him back to earth." Then it occurred to Rei why Skuld was talking to her. Her mannerisms and actions were clear. She had mentioned that she knew Sentaro and that her questions showed Rei that Skuld seemed to care for him. Now all the pieces fell into place.  
  
"You have feelings for Kawanishi-kun?" Rei stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"Yes . he . he died on my arms, his body crushed by a falling building. I was there and not allowed to do anything because our system and our rules had not allowed it. All I could do was hold him, comfort him, as his life, his soul left him, and I was not allowed to do anything. A powerful Goddess like me not able to do anything" Skuld was sobbing now her arms encircling her knees. Her head lying in them.  
  
Rei hesitantly put an arm around the crying Goddess's shoulders, Skuld instinctively laid her head on Rei's shoulder Latched on to her waist with both her arms and cried. Rei was taken back by the Physical contact. Even if they were in her dream she was a bit stiff at first. Then she calmed down and tightened her hold on Skuld's shoulders. After a few more minutes Skuld regained her composure and thanked Rei for her kindness, Rei simply nodded in return.  
  
As the Goddess calmed Rei asked again, "What is it you want of me?"  
  
Skuld sighed, "I cannot return to Earth now that I'm a Wish-Goddess assigned to a different dimension, on a different Earth." She then looked at Rei intently. "I will await him when his life ends, but he will need someone to be his friend . while he is alive here on Earth."  
  
Rei looked perplexed. She was not clear on what the Goddess had insinuated, then something dawned in her mind. "Are you designating me for that purpose?" Rei had a look not many people would have ever though she would have, Surprise!  
  
Skuld now had the stoic demeanor as she said, "Is it not your brother's wish for you to live a full and happy life, Rei Ikari?" The implication now was clear.  
  
She looked down in concentration then replied "That is his wish for me."  
  
Skuld continued, "And what do humans do in their lives?"  
  
Rei thought a bit then answered in her usual manner. "They survive, form relationships of various types and try to make a difference on themselves and others." Skuld was smiling a satisfied smile though a twinge of regret was also there." I simply want him to have friend again, since those he had before are all gone. I would have thought someone who had gotten a second chance at a life would be a good friend for Sentaro who also got the same second chance."  
  
Rei sighed and nodded "I understand, I will promise to become his friend."  
  
Skuld smirked, "As long as you can be his friend I will be forever grateful, Rei Ikari. Rei nodded then noticed the name change from the Goddess.  
  
"Well I'd better let you rest some before you wake up." And Skuld and their surroundings began to fade away. But Rei raised her hand stopping the Goddess.  
  
"Skuld-san, you said that you grant wishes?" Skuld nodded.  
  
"To those who deserve one, yes." Skuld was thinking, 'Now why did she ask me that?'  
  
"Will I deserve one?" Rei said with a hint of sadness in her eyes as though she would get a negative answer.  
  
Skuld giggled and smiled at the slightly surprised girl. "The way you're going, I'd say so." The smiling Goddess said as she faded from Rei's mind.  
  
Trapped!  
  
As the week drew to a close in the deserted city of Nagoya, the group made plans to head towards Kobe, Okayama and Hiroshima with their final destination of Kagoshima on Kyushu Island. They would follow the Shinkansen Highway, which ran down the middle of Japan itself until they reached Kobe. From there they would cross Osaka Bay, and the inland sea to reach the Island of Shikoku, cross it in a few days and again cross the sea to Kyushu where their final Destination of Kagoshima was located on it's southern end.  
  
But, just before they were ready to leave a sudden rainstorm similar to a mini-typhoon hit the area. They had to evacuate inland away from the sea and the port hotel they were staying. They eventually made their way to an abandoned military base on the outskirts of Nagoya. It was there that the first real danger since the Tokyo-2 incident took place.  
  
Even though they were provisioned for most things, the storm caught them without fresh bottled water. Even though a gailing storm was pounding the area, Shigreu decided that he would go out to find some fresh water. He had remembered seeing a water bottling plant located near by the road they had been on. So he volunteered to go, but Maya was not happy about it and made some clear protest. But then something unexpected happened, as they argued Asuka asked to go as well mainly to be a second pair of eyes as Shigreu would have a tough time driving through the torrential rains. Now Shinji was clearly not happy. Normally Shinji would go with Shigreu on any scouting expedition and everyone had accepted that. But Asuka pointed out that other than Maya, Shinji was the most experienced person in survival training, and had to stay to protect the group while they were gone. Especially now with an inexperienced Sentaro with them. After several minutes of loud vocal debate, and some heated discussion from Maya and Shinji the group reluctantly agreed to let the two go. Sentaro watched the whole thing like an invisible viewer, taking in all the arguments and dramatics as he sat next to Rei as the discussion took place. The ex-BMXer was slowly integrating into the group with his knowledge of the areas highways and terrain, (He had grown up in Nagoya before he moved and found his friends at Nekomi Tech) he was a great source of knowledge for them all.  
  
As this was going on Sentaro was still having a hard time thinking that his friends were gone. Here he was in the future a devastated one at that, now with a small group of survivors in a typhoon. Plus he had a nagging feeling that some of his memories were missing. Sort of like voids within his head. Yet it seemed to not bother him much. One clear memory was of a face, a cute smiling face of a girl with long black raven hair and three droplets shaped marks on her forehead and cheeks. She looked at him at first with a cheerful happy smile, but morphed into a crying grieving look just before darkness claimed him. "Skuld." He whispered silently, but not quite soft enough.  
  
"What did you say?" Rei Asked knowing clearly what he had said.  
  
Sentaro smiled weakly and replied. "I remembered . a girl. Her name was . Skuld just before."  
  
".Darkness claimed you?" Rei replied completing his line.  
  
A surprised Sentaro asked, "How . did you know?" perplexed at Rei's answer.  
  
"Do you remember our earlier discussion about LCL?" She said calmly.  
  
"Yeah, I remember. So what does that have to do with your comment?" Sentaro was now curious.  
  
Rei sighed. That in itself signified that emotions now welling up in her new human form were starting to affect how Rei interacted with others. She looked at her make companion "I will explain something to you about my role in the Angel Wars then you will understand." Sentaro nodded as Rei began her explanation.  
  
Meanwhile some three miles back towards Nagoya, Shigreu and Asuka were heading into the water bottling plant to fetch several crates of fresh water. As the storm raged around them the temperature slowly began to drop and the rain slowly turned to sleet. Though they were inside of the plant's warehouse many vents and windows were open, letting in the water and the dropping temperature. This hampered the loading of the borrowed Army truck as Asuka and Shigreu struggled with about 20 crates of bottled water they were loading into the back covered bed of the truck.  
  
After a half-hour they had completed their task and were heading back when a rumbling sound came from one side of the highway they were on. The road itself was on the side of a steep mountain and the noise was heard from above them. Shigreu rolled down his window which drenched him as he stuck his head out to see what was making all the noise. What he saw was a terrifying site.  
  
A wall of mud, stone, seemingly half the mountainside was racing down the mountain . towards them.  
  
He barely had time to swing the truck around so the back of the truck would take the initial hit from the mudslide. He then grabbed a startled Asuka and laid her flat to the bench seat in the truck cab then laid on top of her to shield her from what was about to hit them from behind. Asuka didn't protest as she had seen the wall of mud and stone heading their way, as she was forcibly ducked down on to the flat seat. They had forgotten to secure the back flaps and she saw that wall of earth coming. She simply prayed that she would see Shinji again in this world, while Shigreu thought to himself. 'I'm sorry Maya I should have listened to you, I love you!' then all noise to them stopped. With that a 10-foot high 40-foot wide wall of mud, stone, and trees hit the highway and their truck like a Pistron rifle discharge  
  
Chapter#8: Remembrance and Prayer  
  
Will they make it out alive, or will nature take away their second chance at life?  
  
Author's Notes: It seems some do not like the choice of Sentaro in becoming the 6th survivor in this story. Though he is a minor character on OMG it seems he has his critics as well as his supporters. Either way he will stay in this story and grow as will the other characters and hopefully be the better for it. Oh, and Thanks Steve Vader on pointing out a big flub now fixed! Thanks all of you for reading this and hopefully future chapters of this story. Watch for an update on my other stories soon.  
  
dennisud 


	8. Rememberance and Prayer

Disclaimers:  
  
Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc. are Property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. This is a "what if" story, so take it as a divergence from the EoE Movie. So, it is an A/U story as well.  
  
**As always, thanks go out to my pre-readers, Dark Angelus, and Exeter! Great job guys! I will be finishing this story as I'm now concentrating on my other stories to hopefully finish them by the summer!  
  
Duo Awakenings  
  
Chapter#8: Remembrance and Prayer  
  
Will they make it out alive, or will nature take away their second chance at life?  
  
AN: Sorry but a monumental case of writer's block has been on me since just before the new year so I hope with this I can get some more stories finished and continued.  
  
I will tell you now that this is the LAST chapter of this particular story.  
  
As for the storyline .... well, let see if that will continue.  
  
We will find out who survived and who didn't ... and yes someone dies! Also the survivors will be doing that surviving. How and where we will see.  
  
And on that note, let us get to the story.  
  
Remembrance and ... sacrifice  
  
As Asuka awoke from what felt like a dreamless and restless sleep, she looked at the ceiling and somehow understood what Shinji had tried to explain to her some months back of his feelings of loneliness and despair at looking at another unfamiliar ceiling.  
  
She shook her head to clear the cobwebs in her mind and try to remember how she got here. Then it hit like a fright train.  
  
The Wall of mud,  
  
The sudden weight of Shigreu on top of her trying to shield her from the inevitable strike of rock, mud and dirt that makes up a speedy mudslide. She remembers the hit on the truck they were in and of the feeling of being rolled many times hitting various parts of the truck cabin, and of course the flailing man trying his best to protect her and both becoming injured in the process.  
  
Then ... total blackness and the cold slimy feel of many pounds of dirt and rock pushing down on every square inch of her body then a quiet slipping to unconsciousness.  
  
She should be dead, and already she was buried, yet she was here in this room, somewhere still trying to figure out how the hell she got out of such a death trap.  
  
She then took sometime to look around her surroundings and slowly came to realise she was back at the barracks of the military base they had been before their excursion. She saw that her clothes, those she hadn't worn when she was buried hung in a open closet, next to that was a simple dresser and on top a few of the salvaged pictures from Misato's apartment she and Shinji had collected before their departure from Tokyo-3. Next to that was the room's door, so she took a look at the other side of the room and saw on a bunk next to her a sleeping Shinji, facing towards her. She studies his face and saw a haggard and sad look, much like the one he had after they had first woken up on that beach a few hundred miles away.  
  
She then looked at the alarm clock that was on the end table between the two bunks. I read 2:34am. 'Damn, so I woke up in the middle of the night.' Asuka muttered in her mind.  
  
She resolved to try to get up, but that was stopped by the cast on her leg and an I.V. tube stuck into her left arm. She hadn't noticed it at first but found out fast that it was there.  
  
"Damn." She said quietly. She didn't want to wake up a clearly tired Shinji, but she really needed to go to the restroom. "Shinji ... Shinji honey, can you wake up, love." She reluctantly said, feeling more guilt in waking him.  
  
"Hmmm, I 'm awake Asuka-Chan." Shinji mumbled, then he shot up and fell on the floor, a second later jumping up. "Asuka-Chan your awake!"  
  
He feebly turned the room's lamp on, which was on the end table between the bunks. He started to check quickly Asuka while she was trying to get his attention. "Hey Baka Shinji I need to get to the bathroom, ok!"  
  
"Oh, Alright Asuka-chan, let me help you up." Shinji then walked quickly over to the other side and helped Asuka get up off the bed. With one hand on the I.V. stand, his other hand around her waist, and with her arm around his shoulders, they both made their way out the door and down the hall to the barracks restrooms.  
  
After a few minutes where Shinji had to carefully help Asuka into the stall while not looking at her doing her business. "Ok my Baka, you can help me up and out to the kitchen cause I really hungry and...."  
  
Shinji cut her off, "Asuka, You have to go back to our room and I'll get Maya up to check on you first."  
  
"Oh, Do I have to?" Then Asuka winced, she realised she had to rest as several of her ribs were giving her a clear hint that they were either bruised or broken. Shinji saw her grimace and carefully helped her up and laid her back to her bunk.  
  
After Shinji carefully tucked her back into bed, Asuka looked at Shinji quickly realised something. She asked; "Shinji, How ... how come I'm still alive? I mean, what happened, how did I get here?". Asuka was now nervous and scared. She looked intently at Shinji. "Was I ... the only one that ... made it out live?"  
  
Shinji looked down trying to compose himself. It was obvious something dreadful had happened but Shinji was trying to say the right thing. The look he gave her made her even more nervous. "Yes ... and no."  
  
She looked around as if to find an answer then she grabbed Shinji by his collar. "So ... Shigreu's dead?" She was already feeling awful about the whole thing, and now she imagined Maya crying hysterically at the loss of her love.  
  
But Shinji's answer shook her out of her funk. "No. He's alive. But..."  
  
Asuka shook him hard. "What kind of answer is that. If he's alive then..."  
  
She then realised only two others were left of their group. She obviously knew they weren't in the truck with Shigreu and herself, 'So one of them must have come and dug us out, then...' She realised that whomever rescued her and Shigreu ... must have died while trying.  
  
She looked up at Shinji now crying face as she tried to figure out who had sacrificed their life for her and Maya's love.  
  
Asuka licked her lips and simply asked, "Rei or Sentaro?"  
  
He then grabbed her embracing her and crying on her shoulder, she reciprocated taking his body into her arms and holding him tight, rubbing her hands on his back trying to console him as best she could.  
  
Asuka really couldn't decide who had died simply by Shinji's response, as she knew he was one to overreacting these types of situations. But if it was Rei, being his sister, then this could...  
  
Suddenly, Shinji broke the embrace, and stared intently her. "Asuka, it was..."  
  
Sacrifice  
  
"Sentaro." Asuka was stunned, yet still confused. Why would the Biker jock do such a thing?  
  
"Oh ... mein Gott! How's Rei taking all this?" She realised that the aloof former first child did have feelings for the newest member of their group.  
  
"Not well." He sighed. "I've had to split my time between keeping you company, and trying to talk to her." He sighed a second time, which told Asuka this was much more serious. Shinji then started to cry and took her hand. "Asuka, she's reverted to her old self, emotionless lethargic, doing the basic things and she's stopped interacting with us, saying the minimum that needs to be said. Asuka, she's and just doing what she's told to do, I think she's trying to escape the painful feelings of Sentaro's death that way."  
  
Even though she was still waking up from her injury induced slumber Asuka could see how tired Shinji was. She could understand this as she digested all he had said. Then it dawned on her. Maybe in a little while, she'll have a 'talk' with Rei and see what she could do to get her out of her funk. Grieving is a very personal thing, but shutting out those who could help won't make the recovery any better.  
  
As she resolved this, she realised she didn't know what had happened, so she asked him, "Shinji, listen tell me what happened to me and Shigreu, and how Sentaro ... died."  
  
"Ok. Well as you know both you and Shigreu were trapped in the cab of that truck stuck upside down within the mudslide. Which of course caught all of us by surprise. But then Sentaro had the idea to use the wench on the Hum- Vee we drove in to get one of us down and with two additional harnesses and some digging equipment. Rei had objected to either me, or Sentaro to go down to rescue you both, and had volunteered herself. But as we talked to her the rain had died down. Then the mud slowly started to move."  
  
"Wait, Shinji ... wasn't the mudslide moving us down to the ravine's edge?" Asuka asked.  
  
"Exactly, that's why when the mud started to move Sentaro grabbed the equipment, ran by us and threw himself off the side of the highway making his way to you before any of us had a chance to react."  
  
"Hey wait. How did he do all that?" The redhead questioned.  
  
"Well, it seems Sentaro was tying up the main line to the Hum-vees winching system while we were talking."  
  
"Asuka nodded her head, saddened knowing what was coming next. "Ok I got it so far. What happened next?"  
  
Shinji choked up a bit. "He ... he repelled down through the mud and angled himself to the truck which was now on it's side with the back of it sheared off buy the speed and strength of mud slide." He looked at her eyes as they watered, but she nodded for him to continue. "Sentaro then somehow got to the open window on the drivers side and he disappeared inside."  
  
"We all waited for what seemed more time than it was. But we finally saw him struggling to get Shigreu's body out and he did. Maya, Rei and I then started to bring his limp body up using one of the lines Sentaro took with him. We took the one that was attached to Shigreu's harness and winched him up. As this was going on I saw him go back into the cab, I assume to get you." Asuka nodded and motioned to him to continue.  
  
"At that time, we finally got Shigreu up and Sentaro signalled to us that he had you and was putting the harness on you. I sent the wench line down and he secured the second line for your harness and we started winching you up." Shinji squeezed Asuka's hand as she continued his story. She squeezed back to assure him.  
  
"Hum, ...well he was still next to the trucks cab, when ... all of a sudden, a large boulder ... it was about as big as a house. Well it rolled down the mountain side and ... and it rolled right onto the truck and swept him with the surrounding debris down the mountain ... and over the edge ... of the..." He finally couldn't go on and Asuka held him as he cried into her shoulder. 'Oh my little baka, having to witness that.' Asuka thought as she shushed him and told him "It was ok." and "I'm here for you, my love." But she was also crying at the ultimate sacrifice the young BMX'er had made. She then promised to help him and Rei after she recovered.  
  
Outside the room Rei knelt down with her back to the wall, her arms holding her legs tightly silently crying as she too heard her brother tell Asuka what he had seen. 'Sentaro ... why did you sacrifice yourself, when I wanted you to be here, with me?' She covered her face with her arms and continued to cry.' I had come to realise that I ... cared for you and wanted to explore these new feelings I had for you. Yet you left me ... why ...why?' All she felt now was a hollow empty feeling in her gut. Something that she didn't want to deal with. But in her grief, she forgot that in life there is happiness ... and pain.  
  
Redemption  
  
Sentaro awoke in a very familiar place. With a very familiar face looking at him expectantly. His vision cleared and then he recognised the face. "S- Skuld?"  
  
"Yes My little BMX King. How are you my love?" she asked a now confused Sentaro.  
  
"I'm back I guess. But wasn't I supposed to live a whole human life?" The boy asked a now smiling almost giddy Goddess.  
  
"Well it seems that Daddy (AKA Kami-sama) wanted for you to prove your selflessness as you were a bit selfish in your previous life."  
  
"So ... when I went to rescue Shigreu and Asuka ... wait what did happen to me there?" Sentaro was scratching his head in confusion.  
  
"Well, I'm sorry to say that you died while trying to rescue them. You did save them by the way. But you couldn't save yourself. You couldn't avoid that boulder that smashed into the remains of the truck." Skuld was sad in his death, but she held his hand in a caring way.  
  
"So, it was all a test to see that I was god enough to be with you?" Sentaro was a bit confused, as it seemed Skuld was as well.  
  
"Yes it seems so, I didn't even know about it till you showed up here."  
  
"But ... what about Rei, what is she going through right now." Sentaro was angry at now knowing Rei was probably grieving for him.  
  
Skuld was sympathetic as she could imagine Rei was feeling what she had felt when Sentaro had been send back to earth. She took his hand and looked at him intently. "Kami-sama acts in mysterious ways and I'm sure this is his way to point Rei to her own true destiny."  
  
Sentaro shook his head. "I still think it unfair with all she already had to go through."  
  
"Remember, she returned to experience a human life, that meant the happiness and the sadness, the joy and the pain. I think she has to suffer some pain to appreciate the joy, and I know she will have joy in her life Sentaro-kun."  
  
"I still think she was given the dirty end of the stick, (He then looked intently at the now blushing face of the teen goddess) ... but I did miss you Skuld. Listen can we keep an eye on Rei, maybe be her guardian angels so to speak?"  
  
I think that could be arranged!" She smiled and then bent down to give her love that long awaited kiss.  
  
Somewhere else in the heavenly plain, a smile came over a higher beings face, satisfied that one piece of his plan was complete.  
  
Renewal 2-(days after Asuka's awakening)  
  
Asuka had talked to the others getting their versions of what had happened and found out she had suffered a broken rib, and a broken lower right arm in the accident. Shigreu had sustained a broken leg and several broken ribs. The group decided to stay on the former Japanese Army base and took residence in one the residential bungalows that seemed to be for an officer & his family. A 3 bedroom 2 bath prefabricated home, near the warehouse section. Very convenient as they will stay until the two recover.  
  
Asuka then talked to Maya and Shinji to have Rei help her as they took turns getting supplies from the base's stores, plus Nagoya and the surrounding area. The German teen did this on purpose as she was planning to help Rei deal with her grief on Sentaro's death in her own unique way.  
  
So after breakfast, which Shinji had insisted to serve Asuka in her bed, Rei came in to clean up and as Shinji had said Rei seemed to have reverted to her old non-interactive self. One way she knew was Rei was talking in a monotone voice and seemingly emotionless gaze of her eyes. Asuka knew that Rei needed to have some sort of release for her hidden emotions, so she made a plan to let the girl release her feelings.  
  
Asuka started to act like she had with Shinji before the Third Impact. Being a bitchy, self-centered, egotistical self, making grandiose comments that would strain the patience of a Flying Nun. Since Rei was now fully human, her normally patient way to ignore those comments just wasn't there anymore. So as Asuka became more of a spoiled brat to her, Rei's tolerance began to ebb. She held out for two days until a comment made by Asuka about her lack of skill in making a simple dish of mashed potatoes finally took the last shred of patience the girl had.  
  
Though still using her emotionless tone of voice, Asuka saw the veritable fire her eyes expressed. "How can you say that about me Soryu! Your constant ramblings of anything you deemed less than adequate has done nothing but taunt and inflict emotional duress on me for these last three days. Why have you done this as I have had enough of this sort of behaviour from you! I do not understand how my brother has any feelings for you."  
  
There the inevitable glove was thrown, just like Asuka had anticipated. "Well Wondergirl I would think that I would have sunk back into my 'Old' self as you have since Sentaro's death, if Shinji died. Don't you see the way you have reverted back to your pre TI self? Well I saw it and that is why I said those crude, awful things to you, so you could focus all that pent up anger at me. Can't you see through your logical eyes that you, Rei need to let go all that grief you have knotted up inside you? Cause if you don't then there isn't any reason to live right?"  
  
Rei looked at her a bit stunned and slowly looked back at the red haired girl. "You ... did ... this on ... purpose?"  
  
"Yeah, of course. How could I have gotten you pissed at me so you can get all that anger out in the first..." She was cut off by a flying angry Banshee yelling dark blue headed former Eva pilot pouncing on her trying to tear great chunks of hair from her head. The next few seconds would be encompassed by one word ... CATFIGHT!  
  
Several seconds later after Maya and Shinji rush in and untangled the two they saw a very perplexed, bruised, scratched up and incensed Rei. While Asuka, who is equally adorned in scratches and bruise, but had a wide smile on her face even with a bloody lip, her arm cast a bit worse for wear and her bruised and broken ribs not feeling as well as before. But before anything else could happen both girls shrugged off the two holding them and marched up face to face. Then after a few moments of tense silence both embraced each other Rei crying on Asuka's shoulder which Asuka was hugging her as best she could with one broken arm. "It's apart of life Rei to grieve so let it out girl and I'll be here for you, ok?"  
  
Rei nodded while still holding Asuka tightly crying at the loss of a boy she knew for only a few days but came to love and care for. "Course I am lucky you aren't still a half-angel anymore or I'd be an AT- Field pancake now wouldn't I?" Rei smiled and giggled a little through her sobs and tears as she got the little joke the former pilot of Eva-02 has said. Off to the side Maya and Shinji bared silent witness to the little drama unfolding in front of them.  
  
"Hey Shinji did you know Asuka was planning to do this?" Maya asked.  
  
"She told me she was planning something to get Rei out of her funk ... but how she was going to do it, Nope!" He shook his head as he watched his fiancé hold his sobbing sister. "But I'm glad she did, we should have our 'real' Rei back now." Maya nodded then slipped away to attend to Shigreu and bring him up to speed on the drama. Shinji just looked at the two most important women in his life, and sighed with a smile and a warm thought of how things had to get better if these two could get along again.  
  
A few weeks later in a new truck and their Hum-Vee, the five were getting ready to leave to continue their journey. But before they left, they had one special stop to make. They drove back to the site of the landslide. All went up to the edge of the ravine and threw flowers and prayers scrolls over the edge as they couldn't find Sentaro's body. But they knew it was buried below thousands of pounds of mud rock and sand.  
  
As each said silent prayers for their departed comrade, Rei and Asuka arm- in-arm looked out towards the ravines edge and the natural tomb of Sentaro Kawanishi and contemplated their brief time with the boy.  
  
"Asuka, I miss him, I have a pain in my chest that doesn't seem to go away. How can I go on and live with that?"  
  
"Rei, it's something that never totally goes away. When you lose someone you care for it will always be there. I still miss my mother even though I know she in a better place. You should know he will be there when you die at least if what you told me is true about the gods and goddesses."  
  
"Rei looked at her friend and slowly nodded. "Yes, I see your point, but still ... I will miss him. I had ... dreams of a life with him, and now..."  
  
"I know, but it does become less and less as time goes by. But it will always be there as a reminder of the good times you had with Sentaro, so concentrate on that and it will get better in time." Asuka then motioned for them to walk to the edge and Rei then threw a single purple chrysanthemum into the ravine. 'I will never forget.' She thought as she and Asuka turned and walked back slowly for the truck.  
  
Closure - 6 months later  
  
The group had made it down to Kagoshima via Osaka Bay, and the Inland Sea reaching the Island of Shikoku in a week. They crossed it in a few days and again crossed the sea to Kyushu where their final destination of Kagoshima lay. Within the next five months the group found a great home overlooking the city and actually got a few of the transponders around their home area working allowing some of their cellphone/Walkie-talkies to work.  
  
Near the top of the area they found a small market garden and they cultivated as many vegetables and fruits as they could find seeds for. Plus they found several chickens and two milk cows at a nearby farm. They brought them to their homestead and made it through the winter, which luckily didn't hit Kyushu as hard as it did the other islands north of them.  
  
Shigreu and Asuka had mended their broken bones well and were up and about a few weeks after the group made it to Kagoshima. With trips to the city below and a good defensible home they started to plan for the future. But soon an event would change all their futures forever!  
  
One  
  
Year  
  
Since Third Impact!  
  
Visitors  
  
As a rule two of the family members would do a daily patrol around the area looking for newcomers, and for any threat to their little homestead. But some changes have happened. Maya is two months away from the birth of her and Shigreu's baby. They had a small ceremony a week after Shigreu's cast came off his leg, declaring their vows in front of the three children who were their witnesses and declared their love and commitment to themselves as husband and wife.  
  
A month later, Shinji had officially declared his intentions to Asuka as she was enjoying a special dessert of German Chocolate cake he had baked for her. As she was eating a big forkful, Shinji knelt down on one knee and presented Asuka with an engagement ring with a two carrot ruby on it. For once in her life Asuka was simply speechless, plus having food in one's mouth makes for little conversation. She naturally jumped at Shinji sending them both sprawling to the floor while Asuka rained chocolate covered kisses all over his face. As the rest were laughing at the spectacle in front of them, there to comfort and congratulate her was Rei. She, who had been behind Shinji, finally helped them both up after a few moments after the deed as it were. After all this happened the small family was now getting used to their new and seemingly routine and permanent life.  
  
But that wasn't to be!  
  
One day, actually around lunchtime, they were at their dining room, having the midday meal when a weird sound was heard occurring at the front of their home. Shinji and Shigreu grabbed their rifles while Rei, Maya and Asuka went to the front windows with their own pistols at the ready, as both Shinji and Shigreu made their way out to the front door, and then to the front yard of their home.  
  
There they found seven people making sweeping movements with some sort of curious grey instruments in their hands. That and their similar uniforms made it obvious that these people weren't from Japan, and some looked strange enough to not even be from the earth at all. Shigreu swallowed hard and asked, "Hello, and welcome to (He waved his hand around him) ... what's left of Kagoshima. Now, who are you and what do you want here?"  
  
"Well, we are from ... a ship and we are here to find out what happened and offer our help if we can." Said the man with a face tattoo who seemed to be the leader.  
  
Shigreu knew two things already, From their vantagepoint they could see any ship docking at Kagoshima, and their electronic surveillance equipment they had from Nerv had a satellite slaved to watch their city which would have alerted them of any ship approaching with a few days notice. So he knew they were lying. But, in the interest of giving them a chance to explain themselves and also giving the others to prepare Shigreu lifted his eyebrow as a signal to be prepared to the others, they all subtly nodded. "Ok, we can probably fill you in as it seems you've been off this planet for.... oh let's say 8 months!" Shigreu then took the safety off his M-16 carbine with a clear click. He then faced the leader of the group with a serious look. "Now ... where are you from and what sort of help are you offering us?" Shigreu asked in a clear but tensed voice. He knew they outnumbered them but he wanted to put a strong front regardless, as his wife and child as well as the rest of the children were under his leadership and protection.  
  
"The Commander had to think fast as his mistake on telling them they were from a ship didn't seem to fly well with these locals. He held his hand up to make it clear that he wasn't a threat "Please let me explain." Shigreu saw the sincerity and nodded for him to continue. "My name is Chakotay, and were are from a ship ... a star-ship named Voyager. We are here find out what happened, and to help if we can."  
  
"Well, Chakotay, as you all seem not to be from Japan, let alone Asia. And some of you (He was looking at the black man with pointed ears, and another woman who seemed to have a turtle shell on her forehead) seem to be even farther away, you can understand that we are a bit leery of help without reasons. But, since you are from a starship that says to me that you're from up there, right?" The former Nerv Tech asked, pointing upwards as Chakotay nodded.  
  
"All right, so as long as you don't reach for a ray-gun or laser then I think we can talk." Aoba said and waved behind him and signalled the women to come out. Shinji, who was visibly nervous throughout the whole discussion, sighed heavily.  
  
He then turned to face the seven with a very enlightened question. "Why did you come here ... why to this planet?" Chakotay then told him he'd explain it all, then he asked to be introduced to the rest of the family.  
  
As Shigreu introduced his family, the rest of the visitors did as well. First the pointed eared black man answered. "I am Tuvok, Science officer and as you have surmised I am from another Planet named Vulcan. It is on the other side of this galaxy as is Voyager's home planet. It seemed a wise move not to tell them that there was another earth there as well. One that had not had this disastrous situation happens. As the rest of the family watched them, Asuka had her own opinions. Course she kept her thoughts to herself.  
  
('_'= Asuka's thoughts!)  
  
"I'm Be'lana Torres-Paris, I'm the Chief Engineer." 'She had many aspects of people from the Southern Americas, but that bone ridge on her forehead ... is different.'  
  
Tuvok contnued the introductions. "Lt.'s Micheals, Sociologist, Ensign's Ombawaye and Chin, our security officers." Asuka thinks, 'Now, those three seem to be from our world by their looks, but these first two were definitely alien."  
  
"And This is Seven, and Icheb, they're apart of our civilian science crew. 'One was tall, blond, and looks like a supermodel. While the boy seems to be only a few years older than Rei, Shinji or I. But both have what seemed like metallic parts on various parts of their bodies, now that IS weird. And look at her, why does she have to have that skin-tight suit on. Looks like an adult plug suit. I'll have to keep an eye on Shinji so he doesn't get any ideas.'  
  
Tuvok then dove into what they had observed from out in space. What brought us to investigate this planet was when we saw through our sensors what looked like an enormous being, female in anatomy, light skinned with light blue hair raising herself off the surface of the planet hundreds of kilometres tall, seemingly holding a black orb. Even at 5 light years away, we could see every detail of her and what seemed like 3 sets of luminescent wings on her back." (AN: I am not here to debate light years and the movement of a ship in warp drive observing events one year previous at least from Shinji & crew's view so please go with it!) "We were very curious about these strange phenomena and our Captain decided to investigate. We wanted to know from you who this being was and how she could have existed in the vacuum of space as well as how her enormous body was developed to be so far off the planet's surface and yet exist. Finally why did she die as she is laying across one of your oceans deceased."  
  
Shigreu looked back to Maya, Shinji and the girls with a rye grin, "Well if you have a few hours. I think we can fill you in, but I do want to know how can you help us now?"  
  
Tuvok, the black pointy eared man answered." Since there are so few people on this planet we would either give you enough supplies and technology to help in your endeavour to re-establish your civilisation. Or depending on what my captain decides, you could come with us, as the rate of birth here congruent to the population base you have now would mean it would take approximately 30 generations to repopulate the planet enough to have a feasible world wide society."  
  
Chakotay added, "What he means is if the Captain ok's it you can come with us unless you want to wait 30 Generations for ..."  
  
"Sir, I can tell you that we are all intelligent and after our little talk you'll see we completely understand what Mr. Tuvok said." Maya piped in. "Though our world leaders were fools even with all their intelligence." Maya sighed as she thought of Ritsuko, SEELE, and the Commander.  
  
"Wait," Be'lanna asked, "You mean to tell me that giant was brought to life as an experiment of your world's leaders?" "Yes, Torres-san, we will explain inside." Rei answered.  
  
Then the Voyager away team noticed Rei, and her almost exact resemblance to the giant decaying in the Pacific Ocean. "Yes, I'm sure it will be an ... enlightening story." Said the blond woman with the metallic eyepiece.  
  
"Indeed." Said a stoic Rei as they all followed her in while Lt.'s Micheals, Ombawaye and Chin began exploring and scanning the area.  
  
As Tuvok and the others were de-briefed by Shigreu and the family, Chakotay decided that they would be better off with them rather than stuck eking out a life in a planet, which will take centuries to recover. After they finished he sent his recommendation to Captain Janeway and seeing the plight that this group had ahead of them decided to invite them to join the crew. She had already invited Seven-of-Nine and Icheb to the crew, and from what Chakotay had told her, all five were bright, intelligent people that can be trained to help the ship in the long run. Added to that what they all had gone through, she considered it as good a claim as were Seven's and Icheb's reasons to be on Voyager.  
  
When Chakotay informed them if the Captain's 'invitation', they were all taken by surprise. They had a choice that seem much more exiting that just surviving in a devastated planet, a chance at a new life, and more. To help their new friends on Voyager get home, to an Earth 300 years ahead of they're own.  
  
It wasn't a tough decision to make. Shigreu and Maya were thinking of their baby who had a new chance at a life on a new and advanced Earth. Asuka and Shinji saw more opportunities to do something more with their lives that they had no chance of here on this earth. Finally to Rei, it was a new life where she wasn't just a tool, but a person who could make choices, and make a difference. Plus it was a way to close the book on her old life, and to remember a boy's sacrifice for her to live on. She made it her dream to do that for him.  
  
So, a few days later the Voyager crew, augmented by the addition of five more crewmembers with a sixth on the way, made their way out of this solar system and headed for a new adventure and the promise of a bright future on Earth.  
  
How they will live on their new home is another story! ;-)  
  
dennisud  
  
Author's Notes: One heck of a twist at the end there Huh! Well I've been a long time fan of Star Trek and I had an idea for a fanfiction story on Voyager but I was waiting till all my stories were done. But I got an idea. Why not kill two birds with one stone. Why not see how our former Nerv pilots and tech.s handle being on a starship! Well that will be the gist of the sequel where our Eva characters live on a ship in the wrong quadrant trying to head to their earth and home.  
  
Wish me luck and please when I do get it out, please review as you have here.  
  
Finally I wish to thank my prereaders again for their invaluable assistance. I simply would not have as good as story without their help.  
  
dennisud 


	9. Rememberence 2nd ending!

**Disclaimers:**

Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc. are Property of ADVision and Gainax. I only wish they were mine. This is a "what if" story, so take it as a divergence from the EoE Movie. So, it is an A/U story as well.

As always, thanks go out to my pre-readers, A.Amishi, Datexan, Exeter plus some help from St.Pika! Great job guys! I will be finishing this story as I'm now concentrating on my other stories to hopefully finish them by the summer!

AN#2: Due to several changes I will be rewriting chapter 8 and will change where the remaining Eva Group ends up. Read on and See!

Duo Awakenings

**Chapter#8: Remembrance and Prayer**

Will they make it out alive, or will nature take away their second chance at life?

AN#1: I will tell you now that this is the LAST chapter of this particular story. As for the storyline ... well, let see if that will continue.

We will find out who survived and who didn't ... and yes someone dies!

Also the survivors will be doing just that… surviving. How, and where we will see.

AN#2: Due to several changes I will be rewriting chapter 8 and will change where the remaining Eva Group ends up. Read on and See!

And on that revised note, let us get to the story.

**Remembrance and ... sacrifice**

**Remembering…**

As Asuka awoke from what felt like a dreamless and restless sleep, she looked at the ceiling and somehow understood what Shinji had tried to explain to her a few months back. That the ceiling, or lack of familiarity exemplifies his feelings of loneliness and despair. So she was looking at another unfamiliar ceiling.

She shook her head to clear the cobwebs in her mind and try to remember how she got here. Then it hit like a fright train.

That Wall of mud,

the sudden weight of Shigreu on top of her shielding her from the inevitable strike of rock, mud and debris that makes up a large and speedy mudslide.

She remembers it hitting the truck they were in and of the feeling of being rolled many, many times moving downhill hitting various parts of the truck cabin, and of course the flailing man trying his best to protect her and both becoming injured in the whole process.

Then ... total blackness and the cold slimy feel of many pounds of dirt and rock pushing down on every square inch of her body from all sides, then a quiet slipping to unconsciousness.

She should be dead! She was buried under what should be tons of mud and dirt, yet she was here in this room, in one piece and with no mud or dirt anywhere she could see. Asuka shook her head trying to figure out how the hell she got out of such a death trap.

She then took some more time to look around her surroundings and slowly came to realise she was back at the barracks of the military base they had been before their fateful excursion. She saw that her clothes, those she hadn't warn when she was buried, hung in a open closet next to that was a simple dresser. On top of it a few of the salvaged pictures from Misato's apartment she and Shinji had collected before their departure from what left of Tokyo-3.

Next to that was the room's door, so she took a look at the other side of the room and saw on a bunk next to her Shinji asleep, facing towards her. Everything else was forgotten as she took a few seconds studying his face and saw a haggard and sad look, much like he had after they had first woken up on that beach a few months ago, and several hundred miles away.

The former Second Child then looked at the alarm clock that was on the end table between the two bunks. I read 2:34am. 'Damn, just my luck waking up in the middle of the night.' Asuka muttered in her mind.

She the made up her mind to try to get up, but that was stopped by the heavy cast on her leg and an I'V. tube stuck to her left arm. She hadn't noticed then at first but found out fast that now they were there.

"Damn." She said quietly. She didn't want to wake up a clearly tired Shinji,. but she really needed to go to the restroom. "Shinji ... Shinji honey, can you wake up, love." She reluctantly said, feeling more guilt in waking him. She reached over with her available arm and shook the sleeping boy.

Hmmm, I 'm awake Asuka-Chan." Shinji mumbled, then he shot up and fell on the floor between the two bunks, a second later jumping up. "Asuka-Chan your awake!"

He feebly turned the room's lamp on, which was on the end table between the bunks almost falling over again. Shinji started to check Asuka quickly while she was trying to get his attention. "Hey Baka Shinji I need to get to the bathroom, ok!"

"Oh, Alright Asuka-chan, let me help you up"

Shinji then walked quickly over to the other side and helped Asuka get up off the bed. With one hand on the IV stand, his other hand around her waist and with her arm around his shoulders, they both made their way out the door and down the hall to the barracks restrooms the clear thumping of the cast clearly marking their way down the hall.

After a few minutes where Shinji had to carefully help Asuka into the bathroom's stall, he stood outside the closed door, not daring to look at Asuka doing her business. "Ok **my** Baka, you can help me up and out to the kitchen cause I'm really hungry and..."

Shinji cut her off, "Asuka, You have to go back to our room and I'll get Maya up to check on you first."

"Oh, Do I have to?" Then Asuka squinted, she then knew she had to rest as several of her ribs were giving her a clear hint that they were either bruised or broken. She felt through the nightgown she was wearing and Shinji saw her grimace. He came up to her and carefully helped her up and walked her back slowly back to her bunk.

As Shinji carefully tucked her back into bed, Asuka looked at Shinji with a realisation. she asked; " Shinji, How ... how come I'm still alive? I mean what happened, how did I get here?". Asuka was now nervous and scared.

She looked intently at Shinji. "Was I ... the only one that ... that made it out?"

Shinji looked down trying to compose himself. The look he gave her made her even more nervous. "Yes... and no."

She looked around as if to find an answer then she grabbed Shinji by his collar. "So… is Shigreu's dead?" She was already feeling awful about the whole thing, and now she imagined Maya crying hysterically at the loss of her love.

But Shinji's answer shook her out of her funk. "No. He's alive. But..."

Asuka shook him hard. "What kind of answer is that. If he's alive then ..."

She then realised only two others were left of their group. She obviously knew they weren't in the truck with Shigreu and herself, 'So one of them must have come and dug us out, then...' She realised that whomever rescued her and Shigreu ... must have died while trying.

She looked up at Shinji now crying face as she tried to figure out who had sacrificed their life for her and former Nerv tech.

Asuka, noting then that his crying had increased sensed the worsted had happened. She licked her lips and simply asked; "Rei or Sentaro?"

He then grabbed her embracing her, crying on her shoulder. she reciprocated taking his body into her arms and holding him tight.

She really couldn't decide who had died simply by Shinji's response as he was one to over react, but if it was Rei , and he knew she was his sister, then this could be…

Then, Shinji broke the embrace, and stared intently her. "Asuka, It was ..."

**Sacrifice **

"Sentaro."

Oh ... mein Gott!" Looking away she remembered how Rei had felt about him. She looked back to Shinji, "How's Rei taking all this?"

"Not well." He sighed. It seemed clear to her why Shinji had seemed so tired, e was splitting his time between her and comforting his sister. His next answer confirmed her thought. "I've had to split my time between keeping you company and trying to talk to her." He sighed heavily a second time, which told Asuka this was more serious. Shinji then started to cry again and took her hand. "Asuka, she's reverted to her old self, emotionless and just doing what she's told to do, I think she's trying to escape the painful feelings that Sentaro's death has brought up in her."

Even though she was still not totally awake from her injury induced slumber she could see how tired Shinji was, then it dawned on her how she should help. "Shinji, listen tell me what happened to me and Shigreu, and how Sentaro ... died." She had to find out what happened to help him and Rei.

"Ok, as you know both you and Shigreu were trapped in the cab of that truck stuck within the mudslide. Which of course caught all of us by surprise. But then Sentaro had the idea to use the wench on the Hum-vee to get one of us down to you with two additional harnesses and some digging equipment.

Rei had objected to either me, or Sentaro going down to rescue you both, and had volunteered herself. But as we talked the rain had died down, but the mud slowly started to move slowly downhill."

"Wait, Shinji ... wasn't the mudslide moving us down towards the ravine's edge?" Asuka asked.

He nodded, "Exactly, that's why when the mud started to move Sentaro grabbed the equipment and threw himself off the side of the highway making his way to you before any of us could react."

"Hey wait. How did he do all that?" The redhead questioned.

"Well, it seems Sentaro had tied up the main line to the Hum-vees winching system right before he jumped."

"Asuka nodded her head, sadly knowing what was coming next. "Ok I got it so what happened next?"

Shinji took a few moments to collect himself, "He ... he repelled down through the mud and angled himself to the truck, which was now upside down with the back of it sheared off by the speed and strength of the contents of the slide." He looked at her eyes as they watered, but she nodded for him to continue. "Sentaro then somehow got to the open window on the driver's side and then disappeared inside."

"We all waited for what seemed more time than it was, but we finally saw him struggling to get Shigreu's body out he eventually did. Maya, Rei and I then started to bring him up with the wench, Sentaro had taken three lines with him, and we took the one that was attached to Shigreu's harness and winched him up. As this was going on I saw him go back into the cab, I assume to get you." Asuka nodded and squeezed their now joined hands for him to continue.

"By the time we got Shigreu up and signalled Sentaro, he had you in his arms putting the harness on. I sent the winch line down and he secured the line for your harness and we started winching you up." Shinji squeezed Asuka's hand again as she continued his story.

"Hum, ...well he was still next to the trucks cab, when ... a large boulder dislodged from the upper part of the slide. It was about as big as a house, well it rolled down the mountain side and ... and it rolled right onto the truck and swept him with the surrounding debris down the mountain ... and over the edge ... of the ..." He finally couldn't go on and Asuka held him tightly as he cried into her shoulder tears streaking down her face.

'Oh my little baka, having to witness that.' Asuka thought as she shushed him and told him "It's ok" and "I'm here for you love."

But she was also crying at the ultimate sacrifice the young Dirt Biker had made. She then promised to help him and Rei after she recovered.

Outside the room

Rei knelt down with her back to the wall, her arms holding her legs tightly as she silently cried as she too heard her brother tell Asuka what he had seen. 'Sentaro ... why did you sacrifice yourself, when I wanted you to be here, with me?' She covered her face with her arms and continued to cry quietly.

**Redemption**

Sentaro awoke in a vary familiar place. with a very familiar face looking at him expectantly. His vision cleared and then he recognised that face. "S-Skuld?"

"Yes My little BMX King. How are you my love?" she asked a now confused Sentaro.

"I'm back I guess. But wasn't I supposed to live a human life?" The boy asked a now smiling Goddess.

"Well it seems that Daddy (A.K.A. Kami-sama) wanted for you to prove your selflessness as you were a bit selfish in your previous life."

"So ... when I went to rescue Shigreu and Asuka ... wait what did happen to me there?" Sentaro was scratching his head in confusion.

"Well, I'm sorry to say that you died while trying to rescue them. You did save them by the way. But you couldn't save yourself . You couldn't avoid that boulder that smashed into the remains of the truck." Skuld was saddened in his death, but she held his hand in a caring way.

"So, it was all a test to see that I was good enough to be with you?"

"Yes it seems so, I didn't even know about it till you showed up here."

"But ... what about Rei, with what she must be going through right now." Sentaro was angry now knowing Rei was probably grieving for him.

Skuld was sympathetic as she could imagine Rei was feeling what she had felt when Sentaro had been sent back to earth. She took his hand and looked at him intently. "Kami-sama acts in mysterious ways and I'm sure this is his way to point Rei to her own destiny."

"I still think it unfair with all she already had to go through." The boy said now with some regret.

"Remember, she returned to experience a human life, that meant the happiness and the sadness, the joy and the pain. I think she has to suffer some pain to appreciate the joy she will experience, and I know she will have joy in her life Sentaro-kun."

"I still think she was given the dirty end of the stick ... but I did miss you Skuld. Listen can we keep an eye on Rei, maybe be her guardian angels so to speak?"

"I think that could be arranged!" She smiled and then bent down to give her love that long awaited kiss. Somewhere else in heaven a smile came over a higher beings face.

**Renewal **2-days after Asuka's awakening

Asuka had talked to the others getting their versions of what had happened and found out she had suffered a broken rib, and a broken lower right arm in the accident. Shigreu had sustained a broken leg and several broken ribs. The group decided to stay on the base and took residence in one the barracks that had separate rooms.

Asuka then talked to Maya and Shinji to have Rei help her as they took turns getting supplies from Nagoya and the surrounding area. The German teen did this on purpose as she was planning to help Rei deal with her grief on Sentaro's death.

So after breakfast, which Shinji had insisted to serve it in her bed, Rei came in to clean up and as Shinji had said Rei seemed to have reverted to her old Nerv doll like self. Talking in a monotone voice and seemingly emotionless. Asuka knew that Rei had to have some sort of release for her hidden emotions so she made a plan to let the girl release her feelings.

Asuka started to act like she had with Shinji before the Third Impact. Being her bitchy old self and making self-centred grandiose comments that would strain the patience of a Flying Nun. Since Rei was now fully human, she couldn't rely on her normally patient way to ignore those comments, it just wasn't there anymore.

She held out for two days until a comment made by Asuka about her lack of skill in making a simple dish of mashed potatoes finally took the last shred of patience the girl had.

"How can you say that about me Soryu! Your constant ramblings of anything you deemed less than adequate has done nothing but taunt me for these last three days. Why have you done this?" Asuka finally saw anger in Rei's face. "I have had enough of this sort of behaviour from you! I do not understand how my brother has any feelings for you."

There the glove was thrown, just like Asuka had anticipated. "Well Wondergirl I would think that I would have sunk back into myself as you have with Sentaro's death if Shinji died, cause that is why I said those crude, awful things to you, so you could focus all that pent up anger at me. Rei you need to let go all that grief you have knotted up inside you. Cause if you don't then there isn't any reason to live right?"

Rei looked at her a bit stunned and slowly looked back at the red haired girl. "You ... did ... this on ... purpose?"

"Yeah, of course. How could I have gotten you so pissed at me so you can get all that anger out in the first..." She was cut off by a flying angry Dark blue headed former Eva pilot pouncing on her trying to tear great chunks of hair from her head. The next few seconds would be encompassed by one word, CATFIGHT!

Several seconds later after Maya and Shinji rush in and untangled, the two they saw a very perplexed, bruised, scratched up and incensed Rei. While Asuka, who is equally adorned in scratches and bruise, but had a wide smile on her face even with her arm cast a bit worse for wear and her bruised and broken ribs not feeling as well as before. But before anything else could happen both girls shrugged off the two holding them and marched up face to face.

Then after a few moments of tense silence both suddenly embraced each other Rei crying on Asuka's shoulder which Asuka while hugged her as best she could with a broken arm.

"It's apart of life Rei to grieve so let it out girl and I'll be here for you, ok?"

Rei nodded while still holding Asuka tightly crying at the loss of a boy she knew for only a few days but came to love and care for.

"Course I am lucky you aren't still a half-angel anymore or I'd be an AT-Field pancake now wouldn't I?" Rei smiled and giggled a little through her sobs as she got the little joke the former pilot of Eva-02 has said.

Off to the side Maya and Shinji bore silent witness to the little drama unfolding in front of them.

"Hey Shinji did you know Asuka was planning to do this?" Maya asked.

She told me she was planning something to get Rei out of her funk, but how she was going to do it, Nope!" He shook his head as he watched his fiancé hold his sobbing sister. "But I'm glad she did, we should have our Rei back now." Maya Nodded then slipped away to attend to Shigreu and bring him up to speed on the little drama.

A few days later in a new truck and the Hum-vee the five were getting ready to leave when they drove back to the site of the landslide.

All went up to the edge of the ravine and threw flowers and prayers scrolls as they couldn't find Sentaro's body. But they knew it was buried below thousands of pounds of mud rock and sand at the bottom of a half-filled ravine.

As each said silent prayers for their departed comrade Rei and Asuka arm-in-arm looked out towards the ravines edge and the natural tomb of Sentaro Kawanishi and contemplated their brief time with the boy.

"Asuka, I miss him, I have a pain in my chest that doesn't seem to go away. How can I go on with that?"

Asuka drew Rei into an embrace. "Rei, it never goes away. When you lose someone you care for it will always be there. I still miss my mother even though I know she's in a better place. You should know he will be there when you die at least if what you told me is true about the beings in the afterlife."

"Rei looked at her friend and slowly nodded. "Yes, I see your point, but still ... I will miss him."

"I know, but it does become less and less as time goes by. But it will always be there as a reminder of the good times you had with Sentaro, so concentrate on that and it will get better." Asuka then motioned for them to walk to the edge and Rei then threw a single purple chrysanthemum into the ravine. 'I will never forget.' She thought as she turned and made for the truck.

**Closure **- 6 months later

The group had made it down to Kagoshima via Osaka Bay, and the Inland Sea to reaching the Island of Shikoku in a week. They crossed it in a few days and again cross the sea to Kyushu where their final destination of Kagoshima lay. within the next 5 months the group of five found a great home above the city and actually got a few of the transponders around their home and got some of their cellphone/walkie-talkies to work.

Near the top of the area they found a small market garden and they cultivated as many vegetables and fruits as they could find seeds for. Plus they found several chickens and two milk cows at a nearby farm. They brought them to their homestead and made it through the winter, which luckily didn't hit Kyushu as it did the other islands north of them.

Shigreu and Asuka mended their broken bones well and were up and about a few weeks after the group made it to Kagoshima. With trips to the city below and a good defensible home they started to plan for the future.

But soon an event would change all their futures forever!

**Six Months Later!**

**Visitors**

As a rule two of the new family of five would do a daily patrol around the area looking for newcomers, and for any threat to their little homestead. But some changes have happened.

Maya is two months away from the birth of her and Shigreu's baby. They had a small ceremony a week after Shigreu's cast came off his leg. Declaring their vows in front of the three children who were their witnesses and declared their love and commitment to themselves as husband and wife.

Later Shinji had officially declared his intentions to Asuka as she was enjoying a special dessert of German Chocolate cake, Shinji knelt down on one knee and presented Asuka with an engagement ring with a two carrot ruby on it.

For once in her life Asuka was simply speechless. There to comfort and congratulate her was Rei who had been behind Shinji finally doing the deed as it were.

So all this happened and they small family was now getting used to their new and seemingly permanent life.

But that wasn't to be!

One day, actually around noon the five were at their dining room, having the midday meal when a weird sound was heard at the front of their home.

Shinji, Shigreu grabbed their rifles as Rei, Maya and Asuka went to the front windows with their own pistols at the ready, as both Shinji and Shigreu went out to the front door, and then to the front yard of the home.

They found six people making sweeping movements with curious instruments in their hands. That and their similar uniforms made it obvious that these people weren't from Japan, and one looked strange enough to not even be from the earth.

Shigreu swallowed hard and asked; "Hello, and welcome to … well what's left of Kagoshima. Who are you and what do you want here?"

"Well, we are from … a ship and we are here to find out what happened and offer our help if we can." Said the tall man with sandy blond hair who seemed to be the leader.

"Ok, we can probably fill you in as it seems you've been off this planet for…. oh let's say 8 months!" Shigreu then took the safety off his M-16 carbine with a clear click. He then faced the leader of the group with a serious look. "Now … where are you from and what sort of help are you offering us?" Shigreu asked in a clear but tensed voice. He knew they outnumbered them but he wanted to put a strong front regardless, as his wife and unborn child as well as the rest of the children were under his leadership and protection.

"The Commander had to think fast as his mistakes on being on a ship did seem to fly well with these locals. He held his hand up to make it clear that he wasn't a threat "Please let me explain." Shigreu saw the sincerity and nodded for him to continue. "My name is Tucker, and were are from a ship, a starship named Enterprise. We are here find out what happened, and to help if we can." Shigreu noted the word 'starship' a space ship! "Oh my" Shigreu thought.

"Well, Mr. Tucker, as some of you seem not to be from Japan, let alone Asia. And some of you (He was looking at the woman with pointed ears, and another man who seemed to have several ridges around his head) farther away you can understand that we are a bit leery of help without reasons. But, since you are from a starship that says to me that you're from up there, right?" The former Nerv Tech asked. Tucker nodded.

"All right, so as long as you don't reach for a ray-gun or laser then I think we can talk." Aoba said and waved behind him and signalled the women to come out. Shinji, who was visibly nervous throughout the whole exchange sighed heavily.

He then turned to face the visitors with a very enlightened question. "Why did you come here ... to this dead planet?"

As Shigreu introduced his family, the rest of the visitors did as well. First the pointed eared woman answered. "I am T'Pol, Science officer and as you have surmised I am from another Planet named Vulcan. It is several light years away as is the starship's home planet. It seemed a wise move not to tell them that there was another Earth there as well. One that had not had this disastrous situation happen.

As the rest of the family watched them, Asuka had her own opinions.

Course she kept her thoughts to herself.

('' Asuka's thoughts!)

"I'm Malcolm Reed, I'm the tactical officer."

'He had many aspects of people from the Western Europe, Seems to be British.'

T'Pol continued the introductions.

"Lt.'s Micheals, Sociologist, Ombawaye and Chin, our security officers."

Asuka thinks, 'Now, those three seem to be from our world by their looks, but this last one was definitely Asian."

"And This Hoshi Sato, Our Communications Officer.' Well, finally a normal Japanese woman. But that strange looking woman, why does she have to have that skin-tight suit on. Looks like an adult plug suit. I'll have to keep an eye on Shinji so he doesn't get ideas.' Asuka mentally concluded.

T'Pol then dove into what they had observed from out in space.

"What brought us to investigate this planet was when we saw an enormous being, female in anatomy light skinned with light blue hair raising herself off the surface seemingly holding a black orb. Even at 5 light years away, we could see every detail of her and what seemed like 3 sets of wings on her back."

_(AN: I am not here to debate light years and the movement of a ship in warp drive observing events 8 months previous at least from Shinji & crew's view so please go with it!)_

"We were very curious about these strange phenomena and our Captain decided to investigate. We wanted to know from you who this being was and how she could have existed in the vacuum of space as well as how her enormous body was developed to be so far off the planet's surface and atmosphere and yet exist. Finally why is she laying across one of your oceans deceased."

"Shigreu looked back to Maya, Shinji and the girls with a rye grin, "Well if you have a few hours. I think we can fill you in, but I do want to know how can you help us now?"

T'Pol, answered." Since there are so few people on this planet we would either give you enough supplies and technology to help in your endeavour to re-establish your civilisation. Or depending on what my captain decides, you could come with us, as the rate of birth here congruent to the population base you have now would mean it would take approximately 30 generations to repopulate the planet enough to have a feasible world wide society."

Tucker added, "What he means is if the Captain ok's it you can come with us unless you want to wait 30 Generations for …"

"Sir, I can tell you that we are all intelligent and after we talk to you will see we completely understand what Ms. T'Pol said." Maya piped in.

"Though I would agree that our world leaders were fools even with all their intelligence."

Maya sighed as she thought of Ritsuko, SEELE, and the Commander.

"Wait," Tucker asked, "You mean to tell me that giant was brought to life as an experiment of your world's leaders?"

"Yes, Tucker-san, we will explain inside." Rei answered.

Then the away team noticed Rei, and her almost exact resemblance to the giant decaying in the Pacific Ocean. "Yes, I'm sure it will be an … enlightening story." Said the Pointed eared woman with the raised eyebrow.

"Indeed." Said a stoic Rei as they all followed her in while Lt.'s Micheals, Ombawaye and Chin began exploring and scanning the area.

As her and the others were de-briefed by the Shigreu and the family, Trip Tucker decided that they would be better off with them rather than stuck eking out a life in a planet which will take centuries to recover.

After they finished he sent his recommendation to Captain Archer and seeing the plight that this group had ahead of them decided to invite them to join them and see about resettling them back on their Earth, or maybe furthering their education maybe even joining the Fledgling StarFleet Academy. From what Trip had told him, all five were bright intelligent and due to what they all had gone through, he considered it as good a claim be evacuated on Enterprise.

When Commander Tucker informed them if the Captain's 'invitation', they were all taken by surprise. They had a choice that seem much more exiting that just surviving in a devastated planet, a chance at a new life, and more. To help then to a home, to an Earth 200 years ahead of they're own.

It wasn't a tough decision to make. Shigreu and Maya were thinking of their baby who had a chance at a new life to live and grow up in.

Asuka and Shinji saw more opportunities to do something more with their lives that they had no chance of here on this desolate earth.

Finally to Rei, it was a new life where she wasn't just a tool, but a person who could make choices, and make a difference.

So, few days later the Enterprise crew was augmented by the addition of five more passengers with a sixth on the way. How they will live on their new home is another story!

That is if they make it back!

;-)

dennisud

**Author's Notes:**

One heck of a twist at the end there Huh! Well I've been a long time fan of Star Trek and I had an idea for a fanfiction story on Voyager but I was waiting till all my stories were done. But I got an idea. Why not kill two birds with one stone. Why not see how our former Nerv pilots and tech.s handle being on a starship! Well that will be the gist of the sequel where our Eva characters live on a ship in the wrong quadrant trying to head to their earth and home.

Addition-_Due to a lack of ideas I've changed the story to the Enterprise reality. Should be a fun story…when it comes out!_

End addition!

Wish me luck and please when I do get it out, please review as you have here. Finally I wish to thank my prereaders again for their invaluable assistance. I simply would not have as good as story without their help.

dennisud


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